Sunlight
by RadiantSun
Summary: Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight passage through the opaque walls he’s constructed. Sakura Kinomoto is the embodiment of the large burning star. Their differences are only skin deep. Full Sum Inside
1. Prologue

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics: _Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

**Prologue**

The sun continues to share its warmth even as it slowly dips below the vast horizon. It still fights against the night's reign upon the world even though the outcome is clear. Though the sun loses the battle and darkness prevails, it always returns and sends forth light to every dreary corner of life.

Some open their hearts to the warmth while others have ceased accepting its humble offering of peace and joy, silently praying for the cold nights and darkness they've come to expect to return once again.

Everyone has those moments when nothing more than the silence of their homes is wanted. Everyone has those times when the gloomy retreat of a dismal room seems almost inviting. Everyone eventually comes to a point in their life when thoughts of laying in bed with the blinds closed and doors locked for the rest of their life seems like a perfect plan … and everyone has that one person who will draw back the opaque curtains to allow in the healing sun.

* * *

Solemn and serious, a young man stood with hands in his coat pockets, a deep scowl on his face. He stared at the tombstones and newly dug mounds of dirt where the caskets had been covered a day before. Two of them – one he cared about more than the other – were both lying six feet under. The funeral was over, but the pain was just beginning.

* * *

**A/N: I know this is extremely short, but my actual chapters are longer than this. Please Review ... even though you don't have much to review about.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

Italics: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_**Chapter 1:**_

**The Sun Rises**

"Tomoyo Daidoji, I can't believe you did that!"

"Well, desperate times call for desperate measures, Sakura _Kinomoto_. Besides, it was the only one left."

The purpose of the last name was obviously meant for sarcasm.

"Yes, but starting a war was hardly the answer."

Sakura was just dumbfounded and utterly shocked when her friend got into a tug-o-war over the last remaining item in stock. She was worried that the old woman on the other end of the "war" was going to break a hip or something.

When Tomoyo came out victorious, Sakura noticed that the old lady's wig was askew and her face held a great depth of frustration ... not to mention a number of shelfs that had been knocked over and their contents scattered across the floor.

The manager kicked them out of the store after Tomoyo purchased the item at the register. Needless to say, they were not allowed back in that store for a very, very long time.

In an attempt to justify the situation, Tomoyo fumbled through her shopping bag with a determined face.

The two had almost walked a block and Tomoyo had yet to retrieve anything from her bag.

When she at last found the elusive purchase, she instantly began to swoon over how adorable it was. Holding it close to her cheek, Tomoyo looked at Sakura with sparkling eyes.

"Isn't it just adorable? The wings are just so cute and look at the well-tailored seams. I'll have to design him some clothes to wear and maybe a little hat too! Oh, how exciting!" Tomoyo squealed so loud that many people passing by the two young women began to stare.

Embarrassment written all over her face, Sakura tried to calm her friend who was currently taking measurements of her newly bought plushie. Not even bothering to ask her why she had measuring tape on her person, Sakura picked the yellow stuffed animal up by the tail and examined it upside down.

She stared at its beady little eyes and sewn-on string of a mouth. It was nothing special. Tomoyo instantly snatched away her plushie from Sakura's clutches.

"Don't hold Kero-chan up by his tail!"

"Kero-chan …? You named it?"

Tomoyo just happened to miss the laugh that Sakura tried to pass off as a cough.

Sakura lazily gazed at her surroundings and finally realized where they were. This was bad.

She had to make sure that Tomoyo didn't see it or they wouldn't be home for another hour. Now how to distract her intelligent friend to prevent her from noticing their location?

An excited squeal erupted from Tomoyo's throat and her face became home to the largest smile ever seen. In the snap of a finger, the violet eyes of her friend were no longer in view and Sakura just barely caught the sliver of black hair disappearing into the electronics store. At this rate, they were never going to make it home.

* * *

About two hours later, Sakura walked in and collapsed on her couch. She was completely exhausted from forcefully dragging Tomoyo away from all her beloved cameras. 

For as long as she had known Tomoyo, the girl had always had a thing for camcorders. When they were younger, she always seemed to have a video camera in her hand recording something and her most favorite subject was Sakura. Friends since elementary school, they grew up together and they now shared an apartment with each other.

Though lately, Tomoyo had been seeing somebody and Sakura knew it was only a matter of time before she moved in with her boyfriend: Eriol Hiiragizawa. She couldn't help but be a little jealous of her best friend though. Not because she loved Eriol or anything, but because Tomoyo had found someone that she could spend the rest of her life with. Tomoyo had found her soul mate and anyone could recognize that.

Sakura was yanked from her thoughts when a knock was heard on the door. Just as she was about to leave the couch to answer it, Tomoyo gracefully danced across the room smiling brilliantly and opened it herself. She was wearing a lavender spaghetti-strapped dress that flowed down below her ankles and masked her heeled shoes from view. Her hair was down, though it was curled elegantly and she held in her hands a small purse.

Sakura could only wonder how long she had been laying down on the couch thinking. Based on the way Tomoyo looked, it had to have been at least an hour. There was only one question: why was Tomoyo all dressed up? The person standing on the other side of the front door supplied the answer.

She was going out on a date with Eriol.

"Have fun for me, alright?" Sakura spoke to the couple with a broad smile.

"We'll try just for you, Sakura." Eriol grinned at the auburn-haired girl.

"See you later, Sakura." Tomoyo smiled back at her while walking out the door.

Sakura lay restless on the couch for a couple minutes after the couple left before sitting up abruptly. She was going to do something – anything to keep her from lazily lounging on the sofa for the rest of the still-young night.

A few phone calls later and she was seriously about to rethink her decision. All her friends seemed to have a social life active enough to make up for her own dull one.

Chiharu Mihara was on a date with Takashi Yamazaki so any plans involving them were now out of the question. Naoko Yanagisawa was busy writing her latest book being the superb novelist that she was. Sakura really wanted to read them to support her friend, but she didn't like scary books … or scary things.

Rika Sasaki was currently not home and wasn't answering her cell phone … so her whereabouts were unknown. Sakura couldn't help but get the sneaking suspicion Rika was with "Terada-sensei."

It was the name (since he was a teacher) Chiharu, Naoko, Tomoyo and Sakura used when he was discussed between them. The guy's real name was Yoshiyuki Terada, though they usually called him by his shorter last name. Sakura had met Rika's _close_ friend and even though it was denied, she knew they were together.

Well that was it. All her friends were out enjoying life as she sat and stared at her feet. She really needed to find a hobby or something that would consume all her free time.

Finally deciding to go out and about the town on her own, Sakura grabbed a jacket and walked out the door. Her plan was to walk aimlessly down the street until seeing something that sparked her interest. She walked a block and finally decided she would go get some hot chocolate being the weather wasn't all that warm.

She entered the coffee shop and was delighted to see that they had her longed-for cocoa in stock. Gratefully taking the offered cup, she took a seat at a vacant table. Sipping her drink contentedly, Sakura let her gaze wander around the area inside.

There seemed to be a few guys – scary looking guys – scattered across the room. They were alert and looking for something by the way they were all staring out the window with intense glares. They seemed nervous ... or maybe excited.

She couldn't exactly place her finger on the reason, but their appearance gave her an unexplained feeling of fright in the pit of her stomach. What was going on?

_What if they're gang members ... ? If that's the case, maybe I should get out of here before I find out._

Sakura casually stood from her seat and slipped unnoticeably out the door with her drink in hand. Deciding against going straight home, Sakura decided she would make a quick pit-stop by the park and then swing back home. Her plan would have worked too ... had she not caught the eye of a few men back at the coffee shop.

* * *

** A/N: Hope this was a good length. I felt like stopping it here. Next chapter should be out soon ... if i can get it written to my liking and standards.**

**Thanks to ALL the _wonderful_ people who reviewed the first "chapter"(even though it technically wasn't the first since it was the prolouge!) But anyway, thank you so much reviewers. You are the reason that I am going to keep writing this story. **

**Review!!**

**See You Next Chapter, **

**RadiantSun  
**

**  
**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Oops ... I sort of forget this in my previous chapters, but I don't own any of the Card Captor Sakura characters. **  
**

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

Italics: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

**_Chapter 2:_**

**The Night Falls  
**

Sakura had just taken a seat on one of the benches at the park when two men abruptly sat down on either side of her. A bit nervous, she continued to stare straight ahead. She wouldn't allow them the pleasure of knowing she was afraid.

There was a prolonged silence between the three which Sakura did not intend to break. Maybe if she was quiet, they would leave her alone.

"So miss, what's a beautiful lady like you doing out here alone this late at night?" The man on her right spoke with a smirk, foreshadowing the plan the two men had conjured.

Sakura tensed at the thought and gripped her hot chocolate tighter, locking her jaw as a sign that she wasn't about to answer him. The one on her left answered the first man's question when it was evident that Sakura wouldn't.

"I think she's out for some coffee tonight. Maybe we should walk her home, eh?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea." The man on her right answered in return before latching a calloused hand onto her delicate wrist. As he began to pull her off the bench, Sakura instinctively threw the contents of her cup into the man's face.

Had they tried to abduct her ten minutes earlier, the liquid would have been extremely hot. Now it was just lukewarm and only served to anger the man, not hindering his movement at all like she had hoped.

The other man aided his partner by gripping onto Sakura's other arm, effectively restraining the upper part of her body. What they seemed to forget about were her free-moving legs which she used to effectively deliver a swift and painful kick to the groin of liquid-doused man.

When he doubled over, she used her now free hand to aim a punch at the other one's nose. Her fist was stopped by his large hand so she used her knee and targeted his stomach. Not expecting her attack, the man's breath was knocked clean out of him. His grip on Sakura loosened and she freed herself quickly from his hands.

Dashing blindly away from the two, she ran as fast as she could and only stopped when she had traveled a great distance from the park. Leaning up against a tree for support, Sakura tried to catch her lost breath and by her loud and audible panting, she needed to regain right much. Only then did she realize what had just happened to her and what could have resulted if she hadn't put up a fight like she did. She was now extremely grateful that her brother had forced her into learning karate and she was equally thankful that she had remembered his teachings.

Ceasing her thoughts there – she didn't want to dwell on the fact that she was almost abducted – she began her slow march home. Thankful that she had ran in the direction of her house, she was standing on the welcome mat of the doorstep in less than ten minutes.

After making sure the door was firmly shut and locked, Sakura went into her bedroom and dressed for bed. Laying on her back and staring at the ceiling, she convinced herself that she was no longer a target for those men – whoever they were – and that she shouldn't worry herself _or others_ about the unimportant occurrence.

Though those men did look vaguely familiar … just like the men from the coffee shop! This alarming thought had Sakura sitting up in bed in one jerky movement.

_Oh no, what if those two guys were in a gang for real!? Well they don't know who I am … and what are the odds that they'll see me again anyway …? _ Sakura calmed herself down with these rational thoughts before laughing softly at her own stupidity.

How could she have thought for one minute she'd become the prime target for some gang? Lying back down in her bed, she closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful slumber. She was so deep in sleep that she failed to hear Tomoyo return after her date with Eriol.

"Sakura, are you sleeping?" Tomoyo cracked open the door to her friend's room and whispered ever so quietly with her already soft voice.

"Sakura! I have something big I need to tell you!" Tomoyo tried again, but her whispers just weren't getting through to her sleeping friend. Sighing, Tomoyo resigned and shut Sakura's door in defeat.

"That Sakura, she'd probably sleep through an earthquake if you let her." Tomoyo laughed silently to herself while turning down the covers and sliding into her own bed.

* * *

A silent figure stood solemn through the dark cover of night. He leaned unmoving with his back against the bark of a tree. Arms crossed and frown evident, he waited with serious eyes. 

He was supposed to be "meeting" two men at the current location he was at to settle some … business. His eyes scanned the area in search of the ones he was supposed to be meeting with at this very moment. He finally spotted them coming slowly but surely.

He couldn't help but notice that one walked in a funny way and held a pained expression on his face. It was one of anger and of agony. Not to mention that when the person closed the gap between them, he could see that his face and clothes were wet. The other man seemed to only bear a grim line of a mouth as he held one hand clutching his stomach.

Had someone gotten to them before he'd had the chance? Forgetting about the ragged appearance of the two guys, he slid out from under the tree's shadow and obstructed their initial path.

"Hello gentlemen, I guess there is no need for introductions by the looks on your faces. If you don't mind my asking, would you so kindly give me the information I desire. If not voluntary, then force will be applied. You make the choice."

The two men remained with stoic composure after their primary shock had evaporated. They would not give in so easily.

"We're not going to tell you anything, Li." One of them spat out with a defiant tone. It was the one with the wet face.

"Oh really now? If you won't tell me that, then would you fill me in as to why you have hot chocolate all over you?"

The man turned a sullen face away from the one he'd called Li. Just the remembrance of what that emerald-eyed chick had done to him ate away at his pride and dignity. Of all things, he had to get beat up by a _female._ Not to mention such a petite and delicate looking one. Whenever he thought about the whole ordeal, it just made his blood boil and it angered him to no end. He would definitely be spending ample amounts in the gym now.

He would have thought that his night couldn't have gotten any worse, but then fate dealt him another card with the face of the man before him imprinted onto it. Today just wasn't a great day for him or his partner.

"Did you not hear me, Redan? I said that if you want your partner here to see the next sunrise, I suggest you tell me what I need to know."

Redan snapped out of his thoughts to see that Li had somehow gotten hold of his partner and was currently pressing a sword against his throat in a deadly manner. Cursing at his negligence, he tried to think of a possible route to take. The only problem was that all the roads led back to two things. Fight or give him the information. Finally coming to a conclusion, Redan sighed and opened his mouth.

"I don't know where he is. Being the low ranking member that I am, not much information is passed to me. Also, I suspect that not many know where he is since some precautions have been taken in the case that you'd pull something like this. I can honestly reply to you that the whereabouts of my leader are highly secret and highly secured. You'd have to get to the higher ups to find what you're searching for. Now can you release my friend?"

With a grunt, the man was thrust forward onto the dirt. In the short time it took for Redan to pick his partner up off the ground, their attacker was gone. With a satisfied smirk, he congratulated himself on a job well done.

"Syaoran Li, you don't know what you're getting yourself into."

* * *

**A/N: So what did you think? Its only the second chapter so nothing much has happened yet, but I promise that Sakura and Syaoran are going to be meeting soon ... I just don't know if I'm going to make it in the fourth or fifth chapter because i already have the third one written (so it will be up soon). The odds are that it will be the fourth chapter though.**

**I will try to keep updating _once a week_ on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday. I hope I can keep this schedule true ...  
**

** Review!**

**See You Next Chapter,**

**RadiantSun **


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_**Chapter 3:**_

**The Sun Shines  
**

Sakura woke up groggy and annoyed. Someone had turned off her alarm clock so she slept in later than usual.

Clad in pajamas, Sakura shuffled still half-asleep through the halls of her shared apartment. Giant yawn covering her face, she rubbed her tired eyes with the heels of her hands.

She was about to give Tomoyo a lecture of how to leave other's alarm clocks alone when she realized her friend wasn't in the room. That was strange. Tomoyo was usually in the kitchen singing some tune while cooking breakfast since Sakura wasn't as gifted in the culinary arts.

Now a little more aware of her surroundings, the ratty-haired girl traversed across the kitchen and into the living room. Tomoyo wasn't there either. Hmm … this was getting weird.

"Tomoyo … are you there?"

Sakura's voice reverberated throughout the walled room, but still no answer. She lazily wandered like a lost sheep back into the kitchen. There she saw a piece of paper on the counter she hadn't noticed before.

Upon further inspection, she recognized it to be Tomoyo's handwriting and it was a note for herself stating that her friend had just stepped out to buy ingredients for breakfast and would be back shortly.

With that thought in mind, Sakura told her grumbling stomach to wait just a little longer. In what seemed like an eternity for her hungry stomach, Tomoyo was back and busily baking pancakes.

Sakura tried earnestly to aid her friend but she only ended up turning into a ghost while attempting to open the flour bag. Puffs of smoky white flour blasted her face as soon she ripped the bag open.

Tomoyo gave her a slap on the wrist and told her to "leave the cooking to professionals." Sakura stuck her tongue out playfully at Tomoyo for the obvious jab at her cooking abilities before strolling off to take a shower.

Returning after all remnants of the baking flour were washed off, Sakura was met with a full blown feast in the kitchen. The pancakes were stacked so high that, when she stood, her eyes were level with the top of the pile. They were so doused in syrup that it looked like they had an outer shell of molasses. How the heck were they going to eat it all without having half left over?!

"Well, dig in Sakura." Tomoyo encouraged her dumbfounded friend to eat as she took a seat herself.

Surfacing from the depths of her stupor, Sakura sat down on the opposite side of the table and placed a perfectly rounded pancake onto her plate.

As she sat happily chomping down on her food, she couldn't help but notice that Tomoyo hadn't taken a bite of her own. She also realized that Tomoyo was staring at her. Wondering if she had syrup on her chin, Sakura opened her mouth to question her friend only to be silenced when Tomoyo beat her to the punch.

"Sakura, I have something important to tell you."

The serious expression worn by the violet-eyed young woman sent off alarms inside of Sakura's mind. With her heart beat rate increasing, Sakura waited patiently for her friend to continue on.

"Last night, Eriol asked me to go skiing with him up in the mountains and stay in a quaint little cabin for the entire weekend …"

Sakura tuned out Tomoyo's talking when she heard the word _skiing_ and was instantly thrown into a whirlwind of memories.

_The phone rang while she was cooking dinner and she couldn't help but wonder who'd be calling on Sunday evening. She was about to let the answering machine take the call fearing that she wouldn't finish cooking in time for dinner, but she picked up the receiver anyway. She greeted the person on the other end with her trademark "Hello" that her cheery voice had perfected. After listening to the man on the other end for a brief moment, she found herself crumpled on the floor having lost the phone somewhere along her descent. Her cheerfulness had evaporated into tears of sorrow and her smile replaced by a grieved frown. That cheery "Hello" her voice had perfected was tossed into the advancing darkness, along with the rest of her soul.  
_

Tomoyo's voice retrieved Sakura from the advancing darkness that was threatening to take hold of her. This wasn't the first time Tomoyo had saved her from its icy clutches.

"I told Eriol that I would have to think about it since it would interfere with the weekend of fun we had planned."

When Tomoyo said nothing more, Sakura took this as a sign that it was her turn to speak. She knew this breakfast feast was too good to be true!

"Well Tomoyo, I think you should go with Eriol. We can plan our "weekend of fun" for another time."

"Are you sure Sakura? If you want me to stay then I will."

Sakura could see the hopefulness in her friend's eyes. She really wanted to go on this trip badly. With a soft smile, Sakura nodded reassuringly.

"I'm positive. Now help me eat all this food!"

The two young women giggled together like little school girls before finishing up the remainder of what they could eat of the gigantic breakfast.

* * *

Beep – Beep – Beep – Be- 

The persistent noise was quieted by the lazy and misaimed attempts of a hand. After failing to hit their initial target several times, the alarm clock was finally shut off.

Groaning as he placed his feet on the floor, the chocolate-eyed young man reluctantly rolled out of bed. Maybe if he took a shower it would wake his senses.

Why had he set his alarm clock to go off anyway? He usually slept most of the day since he was out all night, but for some dumb reason he decided he was going to wake up at eleven o'clock today – which was very early in his eyes. Whatever the reason, he hoped it wasn't important because he'd forgotten it anyway.

He turned off the water flowing out of the shower head before putting on his underwear. Toweling chestnut hair and wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, he made his was way slowly over to the blinking light of the answering machine located on his beside table. He hadn't checked his messages in a while.

The fist message was from one of his sisters. All four of them had moved to America with their husbands about three years ago. He hadn't seen them since, but he did receive phone calls once a month or so. He was sure they called more frequently than that, but he was rarely home to answer the phone.

"Hey Syaoran, I just called to see how you're doing. Hope your not getting yourself into any trouble. Well call me back and if you don't … I will call every day and leave you tons of messages. Bye, little brother."

Syaoran smirked at his sister's threat. All he had to do was unplug his answering machine and she wouldn't be able to leave any messages. The next one was from his cousin Meiling.

"Hey Syaoran! We need to get together some time and catch up on some things. I haven't seen you in forever and I'm a bit worried about you. And if I don't get to see you, then you had better call me back. Remember buddy, I know where you live and I'll come and beat you up if you don't. Well anyway, I guess I'll talk to you later. And next time you better pick up this phone!"

He was positive she wouldn't come to his house because she lived so far away, but he did know that the next time they saw each other – and he hadn't called her back – she would definitely beat the living daylights out of him as punishment.

On the other hand, Syaoran couldn't help but wonder if his cousin still had the same boyfriend he'd seen her with last. It seemed like such an oddball question to be asking because it wasn't important to him in the least. Maybe he had just been out of touch with her for so long that he wanted to know the stupidest information. He did know that she was never able to keep a guy around for very long. He could also remember teasing her, saying that she scared them all away.

The next message was also from Meiling.

"I forgot to say this on my previous message, but yes. I am still going out with the same boyfriend. Aren't you proud of me Syaoran? Call me back!"

Well now he had the answer to the question earlier posed by his self. The next and final message was the one that sent him in a mad dash around his room putting on whatever clothes his fingers could grab fastest. He was out the front door in 30 seconds flat.

He now remembered why he'd woken up so early.

He was late, but he had arrived none the less so he was extremely peeved when the only thing that welcomed him was a single note nailed to a tree. It was the site where Syaoran and another person were going to be meeting with each other, but the other person was not there.

The note informed him to meet at a different place on Friday night around ten o'clock. Ripping the lined paper from the tree in one agitated jerk, he crumpled it up and placed it inside his coat pocket.

He was not happy right now, but the knowledge he would gain by this meeting was crucial for what he wanted to accomplish. Although he wasn't sure if he could trust the source, he would have to take that chance … and take his sword as a "just in case."

As he walked back to his house, Syaoran kicked at the loose gravel and cans in an attempt to get out some frustration. It didn't work too well and he decided to cease fire when he almost hit an old woman in the back of the head. When he got home he would just go into his work-out room and lower his rising annoyance.

Now he had to wait until the end of the week before he could get the information he so desperately wanted. He had set his alarm clock for nothing!

* * *

"Have a safe trip you two and be careful. I'll you see guys when you get back on Sunday." Sakura bid Eriol and Tomoyo adieu as the couple drove away in Eriol's black car. 

The week had flown by her so quickly that she felt as if she didn't get to spend enough time with Tomoyo before she embarked on her weekend trip with Eriol. Sakura now had a weekend of nothing to look forward to. How wonderful.

She had no more than stepped in the door to her apartment after her friend's vehicle was no longer in sight when the phone rang. She answered it quickly and was surprised to hear Chiharu on the other line. "Hey Sakura! How are you doing? Well, I was calling to ask if you had any plans tonight."

Sakura did have plans … until her friend went skiing with her boyfriend.

"No, I'm free tonight. Why?"

"Well, the girls and I are having a party tonight to celebrate Naoko's latest success in the novelist world. That's what you say if Rika asks you, ok? The real reason is a secret that everyone in the world except her knows. I'm going to tell you this classified information right now. Terada-sensei … is going to pop the question to Rika!"

Both girls squealed into the receivers of their phones. Sakura only knew it was a matter of time because they had been going out in secret for about two years now, even though it wasn't much of a secret.

"Tomoyo is going to be so jealous. She and Eriol have been together longer than Rika has been with Terada-sensei, but Rika is getting married first. Eriol better hurry up and propose before Tomoyo goes out and does it herself."

Sakura laughed at the mental picture she conjured from Chiharu's words. She saw Tomoyo going out and buying a ring, giving it to Eriol with written instructions and then acting all surprised when he went down on one knee.

After chatting amiably about many other subjects, Sakura hung up the phone a little reluctantly. Chiharu and Yamazaki still had to decorate the building they had rented and Terada-sensei was busy calling all of his and Rika's relatives and telling them where to come for the party. (Since he was a respectable man, he had asked Rika's father beforehand so that he knew it was ok to ask his girlfriend's hand in marriage. After her father said yes, he went on to inform all his other relatives and Rika's as well.)

Naoko was in charge of getting an unsuspecting Rika there at the correct hour with the lie of it being a "party for her latest book release that was doing fairly well in the polls."

Sakura wanted to help too, so Chiharu gave her the task of getting refreshments. Not wanting to test her ability to try cooking food without burning it, Sakura just opted for the easy way out. She grabbed her purse and made sure to lock the door after exiting the house.

All her job now required was for her to travel to the grocery store and locate the snacks and drinks needed for the party. She just couldn't wait until she saw the look on Rika's face when Terada brought out that engagement ring!

* * *

It was currently nine o'clock at night and Sakura was sitting at a rounded table talking amiably with her friends. She really dreaded leaving this party, but she knew it was going to end sometime. She fell out of the conversation and just looked around the interior of the building at the faces of people she didn't know. 

Those unknown faces belonged to Terada-sensei and Rika's relatives. She finally spotted the newly engaged couple mingling through the sea of relatives with never-ceasing smiles on their faces. Rika had not stopped smiling ever since her soon-to-be husband had pulled out the small box that concealed the ring she now wore on her finger. Rika was just so excited and giddy right now that nothing could bring her down. Sakura was extremely glad that her friend had found happiness.

"Hey Sakura, I brought one of my latest novels with me just for you. Would you like me to read it to you?"

"Sure …" Sakura's absent-minded reply sent Naoko, Chiharu and Yamazaki into fits of laughter. They had now confirmed that Sakura wasn't listening because – had she been the least bit attentive – she would have rejected Naoko's offer to read one of her own novels. They were all aware of how much Sakura was afraid of scary things.

The volume of her three friend's laughter snapped Sakura back into focus and when everything soaked in, her face took on an indignant shade of red. How embarrassing.

The night continued on with occasional teasing of Sakura and the flat-out embarrassment of the engaged couple. She swore that Rika's face turned ten different shades of red when Chiharu cautioned them – from across the room – to wait on having a child until they were legally married, but to always play it safe if the need arose.

Everyone in the entire facility burst into rambunctious laughter (except for Rika who sat there dumbstruck and tomato-red with a subtly smiling Terada beside her).

* * *

**A/N: Ok, here's the deal. I know I said I would keep updating on weekends, but last weekend was an exception. I was at the beach for New Years so I'm really sorry I wasn't able to update. I had no computer access anyway so I couldn't have even if I'd wanted to, but I apologize anyway. I made this chapter long (I hope) to compensate for not updating last week. Anyway, now on to the more important stuff.  
**

**Next Update: Saturday the 13th  
**

**Review!**

**See You Next Chapter,**

**RadiantSun **


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_Chapter 4:_

**The Night Arrives**

The street lamps flickered tiredly and cast their blinking lights onto the cemented sidewalk below. Small vermin could be heard scrounging around in the ally-ways between buildings; squeaking and searching for any tiny morsel of leftover food in the trash bins.

This time of night was when everyone was either asleep under their covers or inside their houses watching late night television. You could tell which house's inhabitants stayed up watching the tube because the screen would cast an eerie blue tint upon the curtained windows.

The people who snuggle up in their bed covers with doors locked and curtains drawn fail to notice what occurs just outside the protective barriers of their home which shield them from the cold and quiet city nights.

They do not hear the soft pitter-patter of steady footsteps resonating loudly through the silence as a figure passes by their front door in one swift stride, though the owner of the footsteps can easily see the blue tint of the curtains as he passes.

Those shrouded in that blackest of darkness are still able to see the brightness of light, but instead of embracing the needed warmth, they move right passed it and return to the same lightless life.

Syaoran – clad in black – kept his steady pace and maintained his unfocused gaze straight ahead. Tonight was the night his fruitless search would become very productive. He would be one huge leap closer to finding the man he desired to locate. That was his optimistic side, but the pessimist inside him held a different view.

_It could all just be a trap set up to apprehend me._

Hand tightening on the hilt of his sword, he resolved that he would just have to take that chance.

* * *

It was getting close to ten o'clock and Rika was getting tired, so Terada insisted they just go home so she could rest. This brought the whole party to a screeching halt because they couldn't very well celebrate without the couple they were celebrating. 

Everyone said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Sakura began walking home rather tiredly, not giving much thought as to where her feet were actually leading her. Much to her utter dismay, she ended up on the wrong side of town.

She felt like banging her head against the lamp post she was currently standing under. Maybe if she jarred it hard enough, the light would stop flickering on and off?

How could she have been so inattentive that she ended up somewhere other than her own home? The only bright side to this whole ordeal was that she knew how to get back to her apartment. She was extremely glad that she hadn't walked too far from her place of residence.

It was getting darker by the moment and she was beginning to jump at every tiny sound she heard – even the sound made by her own two feet. She had never realized how scary the city was at night until this very moment. And to top it all off she was now suffering from paranoia. She couldn't help but think that someone was watching her.

She kept envisioning coyotes or wild, rabid dogs with fangs bared coming out of one of the ally-ways between the houses. It was amazing how creative the mind could be at times such as these, but to her creative mind's horror, her paranoia was not illogical.

She was grabbed roughly from behind and then thrown harshly into the back of a van. She felt the jerk of their speedy acceleration as they left the scene of the crime. She tried to stop a large hand as it placed a dampened cloth over her mouth and held it down firmly. Whatever was on the cloth that she inhaled made her doze off. She soon found herself unconscious and abducted.

* * *

They were late. He didn't complain when they rescheduled, but now they were late! 

Syaoran paced back and forth in front of an old, vacant warehouse that he was supposed to be meeting an anonymous informant at. He heard a small voice from behind him and turned abruptly, hand on the hilt of his sword in case he needed to protect himself.

"I thought I was supposed to be meeting with you, not fighting you, Li."

Syaoran nodded curtly and let go of his sword, still remaining alert.

"I understand you can tell me where your boss is."

He hadn't the faintest idea what informant looked like since they were standing in the shadow of the building, but his voice sounded squeaky and high-pitch. This guy must have been a weakling. Cowardice was the only reason for betrayal of a big time, wealthy business man such as this man's boss. And this guy didn't seem brave in the least. That was the reason he stayed in a dark area and kept his face from view.

"I have the papers right here." He stuck his hand out from the shadows and in it was a small, white envelope.

Syaoran grasped it in his hands firmly before slipping it into one of the inner pockets of his jacket.

"So why are you giving me these papers?" He had some time – why not chat a little while?

"Those matters are not up for discussion, but I will tell you this. That man should be erased completely from this world."

"And that's why you're giving me this information. So I can do the job for you?"

"I'm going to tell you the truth. I don't have enough power or courage to succeed in the end. I've also heard that you want to do the job anyway. Everyone in the gang knows what happened with your parents. Your father really was a foolish man-"

Syaoran had unsheathed his sword and had the sharpened edge pressed snugly against the man's throat before the coward could finish his sentence.

"Don't. Say. Another. Word."

If the initial threat of a deadly weapon wasn't enough, then the way Syaoran bit out each word individually in a deadly tone did the trick.

The man gulped which caused his Adam's apple to lightly graze the sharp object. He now had a small trickle of blood sliding down his throat and staining his shirt, but he would live … as long as he kept his mouth shut.

Syaoran eventually relaxed and replaced his sword back into its reserved place by his side. The man collapsed to his knees breathing heavily. He was about to say something to Syaoran, but an uninvited and unexpected visitor spoke before he could utter a sound.

"Tsk, tsk, how dare you betray Boss? He won't be pleased when word of this treachery reaches his ears." After the voice stopped, its owner used the heel of the gun he was wielding to knock the traitor out cold. Then he turned his conversation over to Syaoran.

"I must apologize for my tardiness. I had to stop and "pick up" something on the way here."

Syaoran recognized the voice of the intruder even before he stepped out of the shadows. His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword as he lowered into a fighting stance. It had all been a trap … one neither him nor his unconscious informant knew of.

"Redan …" Syaoran spat in disgust from having such a vile name roll off his tongue.

"That's my name." Redan said as he brought his gun up and aimed it at Syaoran. Pressure was applied to the trigger and the shot was fired, but as the man looked around for a body … he saw none.

Instead he noted that the door to the warehouse was ajar. It was a sure sign that Syaoran had escaped into the rickety old building. He recognized that the young man he was trying to capture for his boss had incredible speed.

Redan smirked; it was exactly the reaction he was hoping for. He slid inside the door quietly and looked around the dusty area. He didn't see anyone on the vacant floor. The door slammed hard behind him and he realized Syaoran had intentionally lured him in here. Redan couldn't help but chuckle; Syaoran was a worthy opponent. It was too bad that he knew of another exit from the building.

When he returned to the place of their first encounter a few seconds later, Redan could hear footsteps racing through the woods before they stopped completely. His opponent was hiding out in the tiny forest behind the empty storage warehouse. Redan acknowledged that he was going to have a tough time locating his prey, but as any hunter would, he stayed quiet and attentive.

"No! Let me go, someone help me!"

"Shut-up."

The command was only met with more screaming. Redan sighed and let his gun toting arm fall to his side.

"You idiot! I told you to bind her arms and _definitely_ her legs before you brought her here!"

Redan shuttered as the pain he felt that night came back into his mind. This time he would definitely outsmart this chick.

"We'll what do you want me to do with her now Redan?" His accomplice and van driver looked expectantly at him. Redan only rolled his eyes agitatedly.

"Tie her up you oaf! Oh and be on the lookout. Syaoran is here too."

With that, Redan and his subordinate went their separate ways; him into the maze of trees and his subordinate to suppress the screaming and kicking woman. He bound her wrists with rope he found conveniently on his person. Sakura had to wonder whose side Lady Luck was really on.

Somewhere along the line she accidentally managed to kick the man in a very painful place as he was preparing to tie up her ankles. She pushed herself off the ground as gracefully as she could with bound hands and ran off into the sea of trees and bushes, keeping in mind that the man with the gun was already in there.

The rope was brutal on her delicate skin, not to mention how vulnerable it made her feel. She was creeping stealthily backwards through the outstretched limbs of trees in true horror movie fashion. Now all she needed to do was bump into to someone with a bloody ax. As that thought surfaced in her mind, she immediately swiveled around to make sure the area was still vacant.

It was. She sighed with relief. So much for her "just like the movies" theory. She turned back around a little less scared only to be greeted with the tip of a sword pointed in her direction by a young man clad in black. Her eyes widened and the next few scenes of those horror movies she had been forced to watch with Naoko sprang to mind. She was going to die!

She probably already looked half-dead with her tear stricken face, messy auburn hair, dirty face and torn clothes. She stared at this stranger with her sparkling emeralds. He looked to be around the same age as her if not a little older.

He was tall with brown eyes and messy chestnut hair and had they met under different circumstances, she would have even called him handsome. But her circumstances were grave and that was where she would be soon; in the grave. She sniffled slightly. It was the only sound made between their intense staring contest. His eyes devoid of emotion and her own brimming with fear.

She watched as the sword was slowly dropped from its incriminating position between her eyes. Was she spared from an untimely death? He must have evaluated her as not a threat to himself.

Wait a second … who was this man? He wasn't one of her earlier captors so what was he doing here? She was on the verge of asking him just that – her mouth open and everything – when he suddenly grabbed her in his arms and took off at a quick run.

She didn't question his motive when she heard the bullets ricocheting off tree trunks and carving mini trenches into the moss-covered bark as they whirled by. In fact, she clung on to the fabric of his shirt as best her bound wrists allowed.

He finally quit running when they entered into a desolate corner of the woods far away from the other two men. How big was this forest exactly?

He sat Sakura down gently and took out a small pocket knife. He grabbed her wrists and intended to free her of the tight ropes. Sakura, not knowing his intention, wrenched her hands from his grasp.

The consequence to her actions was a glare from the brown-eyed stranger. She also noticed that her reaction had caused the knife to slip and cut his thumb. After she consented to letting him free her hands, she immediately ripped off a strip of cloth from her clothes – they were ruined anyway – and grabbed his wounded hand.

She paid no mind to the perplexed looks he gave her as she tied the cloth around the cut and only looked at him when she had completed the task.

"I'm sorry." She spoke in a low whisper, but he held a finger up to his lips in a gesture for her to be silent anyway.

He knew Redan would be able to pinpoint their location if they made a lot of noise. He also needed a little time to recuperate from all the strenuous activity. She nodded and said not another word. She had come to terms that he was one of the good guys and would do her no harm.

They had been sitting in silence for a while now. They could not hear the other two men, but they guessed them to be hiding just as they were. The battle was at a stalemate. How long would they sit doing nothing? When she could stand the deafening quiet no longer, she tried to spark a conversation with the mysterious man in a black trench coat.

"So what's your name?"

He gave her a dry look, but answered it anyway.

"Li."

"Is that your first name?"

"No."

"Then what's your first name?"

There was no reply, but she at least knew he was not mute like she had begun to think.

"Ok then Li, my name is Kinomoto Sakura. Nice to meet you."

She held out her hand in a friendly gesture. He only shook her hand in hopes of shutting her up, but it only stoked the fire of her almost one-sided conversation.

"Thank you for what you did back there. If you hadn't saved me … I could have died."

"Yeah, well you still might if we don't make it out of here in time." Syaoran stood up and motioned for her to follow suit.

He had rested long enough. Now he would be able to make his escape – he glanced over at the young woman beside him – with extra baggage.

He grabbed her delicate hand in his own strong one. He mentally noted that her skin was very soft. Leading them silently and undetectably towards the exit, Syaoran prayed they could make it out without being noticed. He chose to leave via a different route than the one he'd used to enter the woody area.

"Mr. Li, if you go back to that old building there is a van you can use to get away faster."

Syaoran looked at the Kinomoto girl to detect a lie. She could be in alliance with Redan for the sole purpose of capturing him. He knew how much Redan's boss wanted him apprehended so that he'd be able to sleep peacefully again and not have to remain in hiding, but Syaoran would not let him rest easy.

Even though his mind warned him of such treachery, he just couldn't find a lying bone in her body. Her eyes were filled with determination. This was not a trick. Alright then, their means of escape were secured. Now all they had to do was make it to the van.

* * *

**A/N: The chapter was longer than this to begin with, but I decided to cut it in half because I thought it was too long. Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! I don't think there is much left for me to say but there is a lot you can say by telling me what you thought in a review. **

**_Reviews are like chocolate_ ... both make your face smile and your eyes light up when you see them. And just for your information, I really like chocolate. ; )  
**

**Next Update: Saturday (two weeks from now because I'm really busy ... sorry)  
**

**Review!**

**See You Next Chapter,**

**RadiantSun **


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_ Chapter 5_

**The Sun Brightens **_  
_

Sakura smiled at him through her tear streaked and dirt stained face. She knew – even though she had just met him – that this Li person had a good heart. He was protecting her even though he didn't know her. He was the reason she wasn't scared anymore. She trusted this man with all her heart even if she didn't know his first name.

Syaoran broke the connection between their eyes. "Let's go."

Sakura gripped his hand tighter as they began moving towards the exit and to freedom. Along the way, a metal object was sent hurtling towards Syaoran's head from somewhere to the left.

He caught it with his free hand before it collided with his face and recognized it as Redan's gun. He must have depleted all his ammunition and resorted to using his weapon as a projectile.

Syaoran smirked. He knew what was coming next. He unsheathed his sword just in time to block Redan's own blade. Sakura, who had been pushed backwards roughly by Syaoran before he'd whipped out his weapon, picked herself up off the ground rubbing her sore rump. She had seen no need for him to push her that hard.

She watched in amazement while the two men fought swiftly and skillfully. Both knew how to handle a sword extremely well. Entranced by the clank of metal against metal, she failed to notice the man sneaking up behind her until he'd landed a kick into her side, sending her skidding across the ground with a loud thud.

Syaoran had seen it coming but had been powerless to prevent it so now he watched as the fragile girl landed harshly on the muddy ground unmoving. He was too far away to tell if she was still breathing, but he doubted the kick to be that powerful.

The two sword-wielders entered a stalemate where both swords were pressuring the other, seeming stuck in an x-like formation. Syaoran saw that Sakura was shakily trying to pull herself up into a sitting position, but his relief evaporated when he realized the Redan's accomplice was walking over to her petite form.

He managed to gather enough strength to knock Redan backwards into a tree. Syaoran safely filed Redan under "definitely unconscious" as he stared at unmoving form lying on the dampened soil.

He looked over once again and saw that the Kinomoto girl was clutching her side with a pained expression on her face. Up until now he hadn't thought much about it, but what the hell was she doing here?

He once again watched as the man shoved her harshly into a rock bigger than the bulky man himself that had attacked her. The man then picked her off the ground by her shirt collar, but Syaoran was through watching.

He advanced on the brawny man that held the weak girl in his clutches. He first kicked the man in the stomach with the heel of his foot which made him drop the emerald-eyed girl. Next he side-kicked the already doubled-over man, sending him tumbling backwards.

"You coward, how dare you hit a girl?"

Syaoran stood over his defeated opponent with a scowl etched onto his dirt-blotched face. He turned his frowning face in the direction of the crumpled pile behind him. She was beginning to stir.

After all that, he was surprised that she was still awake and not unconscious. What an interesting young woman. He watched as she looked at him dazedly, but her sleepy eyes were widened with horror instantly.

"Mr. Li, behind you!"

She warned him as quick as she could, but it wasn't fast enough. Redan slashed Syaoran across the back before collapsing from exhaustion himself. The older man cursed under his breath, rebuking himself for being wounded by such an amateur swordsman.

Sakura huffed at the insult even if it was directed at her new acquaintance and not at herself. From what she had seen, Li was no amateur swordsman.

Forcing herself to stand, she limped over to where he had fallen face-down. She could see that Li had a long diagonal gash across his back, but was thankful it wasn't very deep; not to say it wouldn't leave a good scar.

She helped him to stand and he sheathed his sword. The two hobbled in the direction of the van, Sakura acting as Syaoran's crutch. When Sakura was seated in the driver's seat and Syaoran on the passenger side surprisingly conscious, she pulled out and away form the warehouse. She hoped that all her troubles would not follow or bother her anymore; especially those men.

"Where are you going?"

Syaoran suddenly questioned the driver.

"The hospital of course."

"No."

"Why not? I mean, where else can we go?"

"My house."

Sakura stayed quiet for a moment before asking him for directions. A few wrong turns and twenty minutes later, the two were walking into Syaoran's humble abode. Sakura watched as he used his sheathed sword in place of a crutch as he hobbled off somewhere into his house. She stayed in the doorway, unsure of what to do.

She could hear him fumbling through some things and could hear those same things falling to the hard wood floor. Sakura took that as her cue to go assist him in whatever it was he was doing. She found him searching through a medicine cabinet with much trouble.

Ordering him to take a seat, she took over the job and collected all the medical aid needed to nurse his wound. She would do the best she could for his stubborn self, but if it wasn't good enough then she would forcefully drag him to the hospital.

After she had helped him take off his coat and shirt, she immediately went to work. With fair warnings of "this might sting a bit", she made sure to clean the wound properly and then to bandage it with gauze efficiently. His back resembled that of a mummy's when she'd completed the job. She stood back and admired her handiwork before helping him into the room he wanted to enter.

She assisted him in sitting down on his couch before almost collapsing from exhaustion herself. She had yet to check the damage inflicted upon her own body and was strangely afraid to see the black and purple bruises she knew were present. She decided to wait on her own treatment.

Her eyes fought to stay open and her head kept falling over to the side willing the rest of her body to follow suit and lay down. Every time her eyes closed and her head fell to the side, she would instantly jerk her neck back up and force her eyes to open. The same routine was becoming ineffective since it didn't wake her as it had before.

"You look tired."

Sakura jolted upright at this unexpected sound. Who had spoken?

"You know, you don't have to stay here."

"Well you may not want me to stay here, but I am."

"Look, I can take care of myself so you don't need to-"

"Who said I was staying for your benefit. I'm just too tired to walk home and I don't want to drive that van either. Plus …" Sakura looked towards a nearby window and he shifted his gaze in the same direction, "I don't want to go outside, it's too dark."

Syaoran looked at the girl while shaking his head. "How old are you?"

Syaoran was surprised when she answered him right off the bat. Usually people would ask why or not divulge that information, but this girl … she told him like he wasn't a stranger at all.

"So you're 23 and still afraid of the dark? Are you scared of the monster under your bed too?"

"What are you talking about? He lives in the closet."

Syaoran raised his eyebrows at the auburn-haired girl. He couldn't tell if she was serious or not, but then he noticed the smile threatening to break through her serious facade. Good, she was only kidding. For a minute there he actually believed she was afraid of a monster in her closet. Sakura rested her head on the back of the couch and closed her eyes.

"I can't believe you thought I believed in monsters. Really Mr. Li – can I just call you Li – I'm not that much of a scaredy-cat."

Syaoran listened to her voice that as it died down to a whisper with her tiring mind and body. They didn't speak for a while and he figured she had fallen asleep.

"Kinomoto?"

"Hmm …?"

How could she even be half asleep in a strange house with a strange man sitting beside her? "Aren't you worried about being in my house when you barely know me?"

"Should I be?"

"Well aren't you worried I might harm you? I do have a sword."

"I trust you Li. Something about you … makes me feel relaxed. I'm not scared with you … or of you."

Syaoran didn't speak. This girl was drowsy anyway so she had no idea what she was saying, but still … her innocent words had struck him to the core. This girl … she trusted him in such short a time. Who was she … other than just Sakura Kinomoto? He wanted to find out. Something about this young woman intrigued him to no end. How did she get entangled with Redan in the first place? What was her reasoning for being out in the woods? His questions could not be answered at the moment because the petite woman had already drifted off into a world of dreams.

Tomorrow she would leave and never drop into his life again and his useless questions would not matter anyway. She would become a memory and reminder of the few good souls still existing in this world; a very kind and beautiful soul.

* * *

Syaoran was close to taking back what he had said about the emerald-eyed Sakura Kinomoto. He was beginning to see her as clumsy and annoying. Ever since the girl had found out he lived alone, she had made it a point to come and visit him _all the time!_

He had asked her a couple times whether she worked or not because her frequent visits would surely have interfered with her job. He was then fired back at with the same question. He could only "huff" and turn up his nose, but she would answer him just the same.

"I work for my best friend so I only work when she needs me. The rest of the time I just work as a waitress at a local diner. Now I have the night shift and I can't stand it. Did you know how many strange people we have living in this city? I mean …"

He tuned her out after he'd obtained the information he'd wanted. The rest to him was just useless babble and she was a definitely a babbler. That was how their days together were spent. Sakura would talk amiably while Syaoran would sit there and stare off into space. Gradually he was beginning to listen to Sakura more and more and beginning to find the speck on the wall he'd been staring at less and less attractive.

"Bye Li! I'll see you soon!" Sakura waved cheerfully at her friend as she left his house.

She looked around at the surroundings as she walked down the steps leading away from the front door. The van had been disposed of by Syaoran the day following their encounter with Redan.

"Oh Li, I almost forgot!" Sakura suddenly remembered something she had been meaning to say as she departed. "Don't forget to put new bandages on your back and some medicines. If you have any trouble just give me a call."

Syaoran shook his head at her motherly reminders before going back into his house. She had given him two phone numbers to call just in case. One was her home and the other was her cell. He would never use either to contact the girl though. He had not reason to. He would take care of his self just as a 24 year old male should.

He sighed as he walked into the kitchen and saw the food that Sakura had carefully prepared for him. There was a note on it that read "Heat up before eating – Sakura." He also decided a 24 year old male wouldn't let the food go to waste.

* * *

"Honestly, she doesn't even know the guys first name and yet she visits him every day almost." 

"How long has this been going on, Tomoyo?"

"Well, if I had to give a number then I'd have to say … a month."

The other two girls let their jaws fall open with ease. Naoko and Chiharu just couldn't believe what their innocent little Sakura was doing. When they had confronted her about how she met this guy, she would just say she ran into him one night and he saved her from two men who were trying to kidnap her. Of course her explanation only produced more questions than answers.

"I say that we demand Sakura to allow us to meet with this guy." Chiharu's proposal was met with vigorous and malicious nods.

They also had come to notice the look Sakura's face would take on whilst talking or thinking about the infamous Li. It was one of happiness. They didn't understand why Sakura seemed to enjoy that man's company so much, but they knew she cherished every moment that they spent together.

All three girl's first impressions of Sakura were that she was a very nice person; so nice, in fact, that she would do anything for anyone without asking for a single thing in return. She was the type of person to be used by others and it was their job as her friends to make sure that never happened.

They all agreed that meeting with this Li and talking with him would be very satisfying and would quench their curious thirst. Not to mention it would make them feel more at ease about Sakura spending so much time with the guy. That … or it would make them keep their emerald-eyed friend away from him at all costs. It could lean either way.

"Shh! She's back!" Tomoyo hushed the group of girls when she heard the door open and close.

"I'm home, Tomoyo! Oh, I didn't know Chiharu and Naoko were here too." Sakura smiled brightly at the girls who only grin devilishly at the now worried 23 year old. "What are you guys smirking like that for? What's going on?"

Sakura took one step back as a precaution before allowing them to reply. She wanted to be able to make a clean get-away if it was something bad.

"We just wanted to meet a friend of yours, that's all."

Sakura relaxed at their confession. That wasn't so bad after all. Wait, a friend–

"No! I know what you all are thinking, but no! He isn't very social and if you go see him then he will only get angry and annoyed. I know how you can be sometimes so–"

"We'll see you here tomorrow then Tomoyo. Sakura, be ready to show us the way to your friend's house or just bring him here. Either way is fine with us." Chiharu gave her last words before leaving the apartment, Naoko following in her wake.

"They didn't even listen to a word I said, did they?" Sakura sunk to the floor in defeat and Tomoyo gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Once they get their minds set on something, they won't change. And besides, I'm looking forward to this meeting also." Tomoyo giggled quietly at the astonished visage of her auburn haired friend.

"You mean you're on their side! No fair!"

Sakura was worried, but not for herself. Li was going to have a worse time with this than her. She knew how her friends could get sometimes. Li needed to be warned as quickly as possible of the day that awaited him.

Sakura smirked ruefully. _He's going to hate me now!_

* * *

**A/N: A day late and a dollar short, I know. Sorry about the delay. I kind of forgot I was supposed to update because I've been busy. But better late than never as I always say. Well I hope the chapter met your standards. Well that's all I can type for now because I have to get off the computer. **

**Review!**

**Next Update: Saturday (two weeks from now ... again)**

**I am making this my new update schedule so look for a new chapter every two weeks. It's easier for me because this semester I have two honors classes and if I don't devote most of my attention to them ... well my grade won't be so splendid. Sorry if some of you don't like this new change, but in order for me to give you quality chapters then I need to have time to write them.**

**See You Next Chapter,**

**Radiant Sun**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_Chapter 6_

**The Night Exposed**_  
_

Sakura laughed sheepishly at Syaoran for the millionth time that night as their eyes met from across the room. His laced with irritation and hers' filled to the brim with an apology she hoped would be noticed.

They were currently over at Syaoran's house and since Sakura had unintentionally forgotten to call and warn him about her friend's plan, he was very shocked when a rather guilt stricken emerald-eyed girl appeared on his doorstep with three strange young women behind her.

Tomoyo, Naoko and Chiharu wasted no time in executing their mission, codenamed "Find Out If Infamous Li Is A Good Person."

As soon as the door was opened, they all barged in before Sakura could even begin to utter a sound and dragged a rather astonished Li with them. Had the situation been any different, she would have laughed at the look on his face as he was whisked away by three eccentric females without even a moment of protest.

Inhaling deeply, she slowly closed the front door and headed in the general direction of the loud chatter she heard coming from the living room. Sakura slipped into the room undetected and took a seat in the corner on a small cushioned recliner where she received a large sum of glares and the occasional "What the hell is this about?" being mouthed silently by Li's lips.

Her lip reading abilities were not well-polished so she interpreted the angry question as "I want some watermelon now!" Sakura gave up on looking at the boy who was strangely yearning for watermelon and absentmindedly allowed her gaze to drift from wall to wall … picture to picture … in-need-of-a-good-manicure nails to – Li's up close and personal angry watermelon-wanting face!?

Startled by the invasion of her personal bubble, Sakura jumped away from the boy and hit the back of the recliner with a loud thud. Having exerted so much force in trying to escape, the cushioned chair couldn't take the sudden impact and thus toppled over backwards, leaving Sakura's feet sticking straight up in the air and a gaping stare on Syaoran's handsome face.

Everything was quiet for a while before Syaoran spoke up. "Well I was going to ask you what all that was about with your friends … but I think a better question might be what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong with me Li. I wouldn't be in this predicament had you not gotten all up in my face."

"Well I had been standing there and saying "Kinomoto" for a while, but you were too intent upon staring at your nails to respond. So I had to get closer for you to hear me … but you still didn't, did you?"

"Huh, where are Chiharu, Tomoyo and Naoko at?" Sakura stood up and looked around for any sign of her friends.

"Those chatter boxes? They left about ten minutes before you fell almost broke my chair. Something about … a surprise, I think."

"I didn't break your chair!" Sakura cried out indignantly before standing it back up again to prove her point.

The door bell was heard somewhere in the background. Syaoran only shrugged his shoulders before exiting the room, leaving Sakura to herself.

_Well that was a quick interrogation. It seems strange for them to be done with him so fast. What did they ask him anyway? I don't know, something seems fishy about this, but I can't place my finger on it._

"_Something about … a surprise, I think."_ As Li's words replayed themselves in her head, a thought occurred. _Oh no, they couldn't possibly … they wouldn't try to …_ "WHAT THE HELL!!" _… They obviously would. _

When she heard Li's ferocious bellow, Sakura was a bit apprehensive to head in that direction. Biting her lip, she slowly crept towards the front door. What she found was a sopping wet Li and three insanely giggly women standing in the doorway; an empty bucket in hand.

Sakura placed two and two together before letting her posture slouch to the side with one hand on the wall. _They absolutely did._

"You have know been initiated as one of ours' and Sakura's friends. We welcome you to the group." Tomoyo had appointed herself as spokes person for the three and instantly curtsied after giving her short speech, the other two girls following suit.

Sakura snickered from behind the four, causing them all to turn their heads in her direction. Three of those heads held radiant smiles that had written all over them in bright red letters "Nothing could be better than this" while the other shot her an icy glare full of animosity, but softened, she noticed, just a little.

She found herself wondering what his face would look like with a smile on it or what he sounded like when he laughed. She wanted to know … she wanted to see the other side of him that she was certain existed a long time ago. That carefree and laughing side that had been locked away by the shackles of pain and anger, no longer allowed to enjoy the light of day.

Whatever happened to make him this way, she wanted to help him overcome it. She couldn't explain why, but she just felt compelled to do so. It just felt … right.

"Come on; just tell us oh, great "Infamous Li"! Why the secrecy? Just tell us your first name already."

"I really wish you didn't call me that." Syaoran stated monotonously with slanted eyes to match.

"Then just tell us already and we won't have to, oh "Infamous Li"."

"No."

Chiharu stomped her foot impatiently and placed a hand on her hip. "And just why the heck not?"

Syaoran knew that pose all too well. It was the one his sisters used when they were really vexed. _I hope she isn't as vengeful as my sisters … but do I really want to take that chance? Definitely not. _

"My name …" The eager girls waited on bated breath to hear this most intriguing secret revealed. "… Is Syaoran."

Sakura made sure to listened closely to his words. She had wanted to know his first name ever since she'd met him. "Syaoran …" She tested it out quietly to herself before smiling contently. It was a nice name; a nice name for a nice person. She resolved to continue calling him by "Li" because of his hesitance to inform them of his first name.

"Well that's not in the least bit strange … I was thinking that you had an embarrassing name. Well this is no fun." Naoko, disappointed with the outcome, let her shoulders droop tiredly and allowed a deep sigh to escape her lips.

"Well, I guess we'll see you later – for real this time." Tomoyo giggled once again after taking Syaoran's disheveled appearance into consideration. The trio disappeared before he had an opportunity to retort, leaving Sakura and Syaoran behind; to go wherever it was they planned on going.

"You ... have some very delightful friends, don't you Kinomoto?"

Sakura could only laugh sheepishly at his notably sarcastic tone and the way he had his jaw locked at the current moment only amplified the rays of his provoked wrath. "You mean "our" friends, right?"

His eyes slightly widened – not so much it was noticeable – and he only shrugged his shoulders. "They're strange none the less. Not to mention the fact that I'm not against taking revenge." With that subtle threat weighting the air, Syaoran set out for his room where he could dry off and change clothes.

"Wait!" Sakura's unexpected exclamation caused his movement to stop and his feet to pause momentarily. His back was facing her currently, so he merely twisted his head around in a gesture for her to continue.

She was gnawing on her bottom lip and looking intensely at the floor, all the while wringing her hands in a nervous manner. "Um … I just wanted to apologize for Tomoyo, Chiharu and Naoko. They shouldn't have tossed a bucket of water into your face as their idea of an initiation, so I just wanted to say … sorry, I guess." Sakura decided to look up towards her listener – having kept her focus on the ground during her entire speech – only to realize he wasn't even there. Just as she was about to yell out his name in a voice mixed with hurt, rage and embarrassment, he appeared in the doorway where she had last seen him, a smirk on his face.

"If it was them that did it, why the heck are you apologizing? You dummy." Sakura gaped stupidly at the chestnut topped young man. _He … he smirked! It isn't a smile, but it's pretty close! Oh, I'm so happy! _

Sakura's face erupted into an overjoyed smile that showed off her pearly whites. This led Syaoran to raise a confused eyebrow. This girl … he still didn't fully understand her, but he felt compelled to learn about her. Something about her drew him in and wouldn't let go. Love? No, it wasn't that type of feeling. It was something … something else. He just couldn't place his finger on it.

* * *

"Sheesh, does this guy ever clean up after himself?" Sakura wondered aloud as she picked up some miscellaneous items scattered about the floor. Li was watching television while munching on some chips messily. Great, now she would have to clean up chips crumbs! 

She looked down at her watch. Realizing she had about 45 minutes to get to work on time, her straightening up became hastier. It wasn't like she was his wife or anything so she wasn't about to break her back over it.

As she was gathering her things to depart her friend's home, she noticed she was missing one thing she really needed but had forgotten to bring. With a new plan in mind, Sakura walked in to where Li was mindlessly watching TV.

_Great, _she thought in response to his entranced face, _this will make things a whole lot easier._

"Hey Li, do you think I could borrow a coat of yours? It's really cold tonight and I have to walk all the way to the diner." She received a grunt in return and decided to interpret it as a yes. Making a bee line for Li's room before he realized her question, she grabbed the first coat she saw: a black trench coat. It wasn't exactly her style, but she found its warmth appealing.

Shutting the door tightly behind her, Sakura made her way towards her job and played a game in her mind she made up on the spur of the moment about "What strange person was she going to have the pleasure of meeting via her diner job tonight?"

She had narrowed it down to a biker with a mullet accompanied by a parrot on his shoulder with one eye covered with a patch while the other swiveled around with a mind of its own by the time she arrived at her destination. The sad thing was she had already seen a mullet man with a parrot and eye-patch so the other idea wasn't very far fetched in her eyes.

She went to change into her uniform and hung Syaoran's coat up in a closet especially for the staff and a plain white enveloped fell out onto the ground innocently. Sakura picked it up curiously, her conscience chiding her to replace it to its original pocket of Li's coat.

It reminded her of those times in movies when the person's angel and devil side appeared on either shoulder. In this case, her devil within won the debate and she opened up the envelope flap carefully. Taking a seat upon noticing the voluminous content within of multiple papers, she thumbed through them uninterestedly until she came across a particular newspaper clipping.

It read "Tragedy Befalls the Prominent Li Family!"

Dismissing the fact that her Li had the same exact name, she pressed on through the article. When she had finished, a hand was covering her mouth in sorrow and her eyes were teary-like.

_Please don't say … please say this isn't the same Li. _ Sakura tried to think that her same Li didn't have such a traumatic incident occur to him. Then she spotted the evidence that she needed, or rather, didn't want.

There was a captioned picture of the unmistakable Syaoran Li smack dab in the center of the written text. She wracked her brains for thoughts that just wouldn't come and to wonder if there was such a thing as being thoughtless. Then with shocking realization she was smacked in the face with a giant detail she had overlooked.

"He's the same as me."

No wonder she had been drawn towards him. He knew the same sadness, the same pain and the same anger. As different as they were, they were exactly alike. Replacing the traitorous envelope back inside the silk-lined pocket (she had read enough) and smoothing out unseen wrinkles in her skirt, Sakura inhaled a deep and calming breath before commencing her waitress job.

When a man walked in fitting her description she had guessed in her earlier game, she paid no attention to her triumphant prediction and only continued to rub the same spot on the table in a dazed state of mind. All her useful brain activity was being placed into her thoughts about a certain young man by the name of Syaoran Li.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry, Sorry, Sorry!!!! I have little time to spare so my updates will be random. I have to say, this semester is much harder than last semester. I will still try to update regularly, but I can't make any promises.**

**I have to get off the computer now or else I'll be grounded from it or something stupid like that.**

**  
See You Next Chapter, **

**RadiantSun  
**


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_Chapter 7_

**The Sun Dims**

Sakura looked at her friend for advice after finishing her explanation. After discovering a bit more than she had wanted to know about Li's past, Sakura was having trouble looking him in the face. In fact, she hadn't been to his house for about a week.

She had finally broken down and talked with Tomoyo over her dilemma so that all her bottled up emotions could be set free, thus releasing her from the building pressure that was surely leading to an explosion.

"I see. Well first off, I want to know if you are alright, Sakura." Tomoyo smiled sympathetically at her burdened friend.

Though Sakura didn't look it, Tomoyo knew she was still suffering on those cold and lonely nights when there was no comfort to be offered. _I know Sakura has gotten better, but wounds like that – ones that deep – never fully heal; especially in such short a time._

"Am I alright? Well yeah, I'm just fine." Sakura reassured the worried female sitting beside her on the couch in their shared apartment. "I'm more concerned about Li though. I don't know how I can face him after discovering something so personal without his consent. What if he's angry at me?"

"Knowing him, he probably will be because that's just his nature. Though since it's you, I think his reaction will be a bit less harsh." Tomoyo tried to relieve her friend from part of her concerns and saw that it had worked a tiny amount.

Wanting to help Sakura more, Tomoyo added on to her previous sentence and her next words earned a grateful squeeze from two thankful arms.

"Thank you so much Tomoyo. Now I'm not as scared to confront him about it." Tomoyo waved off her friend's appreciation, saying it was what any good person would have done in such a situation.

Sakura smiled contentedly at Tomoyo, who returned the favor. She was just glad knowing that Sakura was in a much better mood now compared to the rest of the week in which her saturnine behavior fed the apartment's atmosphere nothing but regret, worry and sadness. Not to mention all the cakes and sweets consumed as a result. Tomoyo had to keep her model in fit shape so that she wouldn't have to bother with letting out seams in her clothing creations.

Sakura had now turned on the television and was watching the evening news, before changing it when she realized all they were going to talk about was the big storm they were expecting tomorrow. Tomoyo looked exasperatedly at the screen when she was what her room mate had chosen next.

It was a comedy show in which cameras were set up in open-late restaurants just to see what types of weird people they had living in the city. Tomoyo shook her head when Sakura boasted that the diner she worked for should be featured on this show. She was definitely in a much better mood now. Tomoyo leaned against the arm of the couch contentedly and before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

* * *

_The phone rang persistently, awaiting the desired hand that would pluck its receiver from its base and begin the conversation with a cheery "Hello" before proceeding on with the rest of the socializing. _

_Tomoyo answered her phone in a polite manner like she always did and was not greeted with an equally polite "Hey" or "Hello," but with incoherent mutterings and hysterical crying. _

_Once she realized it was Sakura on the other line, alarms began ringing loudly in her mind and blocking out all other parts of the world. "Sakura, calm down and tell me what's wrong."_

"_They're gone – not coming back – gone – wrecked – police called – they're gone!" Having known Sakura for almost her entire life, Tomoyo was able to gather bits and pieces from the broken sentence and add them together to deduce that someone had gotten into a wreck and the police then called her sobbing friend. _

"_Where are you at Sakura, I'm coming right over." Though she didn't know the full extent of what happened, she could understand that something was seriously wrong. Remembering that Sakura's brother and father had both left for a skiing trip earlier in the weekend, her thoughts took a drastic turn for the worse._

_Grabbing her keys, she raced quickly to the hospital that Sakura had shakily informed her about. Not even bothering to speak to the ladies at the receptionist desk, Tomoyo raced to the ICU waiting room where her friend said that she would be. _

_With her superb sense of direction after just glancing once at a map, she was there beside her friend in record time. After getting all the facts she could get from Sakura, Tomoyo then flagged down a doctor to get the medical point of view. It was not the type of information she was hoping for. _

_Turning back to Sakura with a frown, she sat down beside her and enveloped her in sisterly embrace. "Don't worry Sakura, I'm here. Cry all you want, I'm here for you." She couldn't say "Everything will be alright" because she wasn't even sure of that herself. From what the doctor had said, Sakura's brother and father were both in very critical condition. _

_She just couldn't believe it. Athletic, strong, independent and fully-capable-of-handling-himself Touya Kinomoto was lying in a hospital bed unconscious with his father right next to him in a slightly worsened state, while Sakura sat with nothing to do but wait. _

_Tomoyo herself was on the verge of tears, but she had to be strong for Sakura. If she was feeling like this, then she couldn't even begin to imagine what pain her auburn-haired friend was suffering to endure. _

_When they were finally allowed to go see them, it took all of Sakura's will power and then some to keep from collapsing at the sight of her only family. Tomoyo stood off in the corner and allowed Sakura as much uninterrupted time as she wanted with her father and brother. _

_This continued for a few more days until their conditions worsened and the decision to take them off the respirator was made, thus stripping them of the only thing keeping them alive. The double funeral was held shortly after and Sakura buried her brother and father right next to her mother. _

_It was evidently unreal to her. Sakura was still in denial and she woke up every morning expecting her brother to call her a monster while her dad was fixing breakfast for them both. It took her a while, but she finally realized her new morning routine would be much different. _

_In fact, Tomoyo remembered that sometimes Sakura didn't even bother getting out of the bed and leaving the house was the devil in Sakura's book. Finally, Tomoyo decided that some tough love was in dire need. She stalked over to Sakura's home, almost knocked down the door before realizing the extra key was under the welcome mat and marched to her friend's room. _

_With a sudden spurt of adrenaline, she picked up the entire side of the mattress and rolled a depressed Sakura out onto the carpeted floor. "I know it's only been two months Sakura, but you have to at least get out of bed! How do you think your family would feel if they knew how depressed you were? They don't want this, I know it! They want you to be cheerful again. I know it's going to be hard, but I'm going to be here to help you as well as Chiharu, Rika and Naoko. Now I want to see a smile; if not for us, then for your family!" Tomoyo panted heavily trying to regain the breath lost in her heated dispute._

_When Sakura didn't respond, Tomoyo's resolve only grew. She was not going to stop until Sakura Kinomoto reverted back to something akin to her previous carefree self. As the days passed after Sakura's rude awakening, Tomoyo did her best – along with Chiharu, Rika and Naoko – to make and keep Sakura cheery. _

_It worked for the most part and they were able to regain almost all of the lost and missing parts of the pre-incident Sakura, it was just that her smile and laugh were never the same again. She still smiled and laughed happily, but compared to the times before Touya and Fujitaka died, they weren't nearly as blissful._

* * *

"Tomoyo …?" Sakura whispered to her friend to check and see if she was still awake before jumping off the couch and sneaking into Tomoyo's room. She returned with one of Tomoyo's precious items in her hand. 

Holding the yellow plush doll with wings named Kero-chan up square with her friend's closed eyes, she spoke in a voice she had concocted for this very purpose. Animating the inanimate doll, Sakura proceeded to wake up her slumbering apartment buddy.

"Tomoyo, wake up. I need you to make me some more clothes." Drowsily, Tomoyo opened one eye, spotted the doll and closed her eyelid sleepily. "Not now Kero-chan, maybe later."

Then she rested for a moment longer before shooting up with eyes wide and alert. "Kero-chan, you can talk!?" Tomoyo's face turned from shock to realization that Sakura was behind it all and then to indignation which led her around the room chasing after her doll-wielding friend.

Sakura stuck out her tongue childishly and laughed as Tomoyo tried valiantly to catch up to her athletic friend. Tomoyo allowed a string of unrealistic threats to escape her lips as she continued her pursuit. _No, her smile and laugh are still different from before their departure – still not as carefree._

* * *

Sakura awoke and blearily rubbed her eyes of all remnants of still-lingering sleep. Her mouth opened for its morning yawn and her hand covered the impolite gesture almost mechanically. It was her usual routine in the morning hours. Next she had to shuffle into the kitchen with her bedroom slippers on and pester Tomoyo into making breakfast. 

Yawning again as she left her room clad in pajamas, she stretched her arms out above her head as she entered the kitchen. "Tomoyo, what's for breakfast this mor– Li?" Sakura timidly turned her head towards the clock only to realize it was no longer morning and that Li was sitting at the kitchen table, his usual scowl in place.

Tomoyo was chirpily mixing the contents of a bowl that would soon be turned into their breakfast – well, lunch. "Why are you here Li?"

"Daidoji called and said you wanted to talk with me about something." _I wasn't going to come either, but she threatened to blackmail me. Daidoji sure is one evil woman. _

Sakura oddly couldn't help wondering if he ever called anyone by their first name. He still called her "Kinomoto" or "Hey you" and she wondered why he wouldn't use her first name. Well, she did call _him_ by his last name, so she guessed it to be an even trade. _After I tell him what I found out, he probably won't call me anything at all and vow never to speak to me again. _She definitely did not want this to happen, but she had to tell him the truth. It would be wrong not to.

"L-Li, I have something to tell you." Sakura took a deep breath before continuing on with Syaoran's full attention. "You see, I, well, sort of found out something about you that I think you wouldn't have wanted me to." Sakura looked anywhere but at him, afraid of the expression on his face. _I can't do this! I feel sick! My stomach is weird-feeling and I'm so nervous! I can't tell him!_

"Well what did you find out about me?" Syaoran prompted and the emerald-eyed girl seemed to snap out of a trance.

"Oh, um – well, your coat. It's really big. I didn't know that you liked those types. I didn't know if you wanted me to know that your coat size was that big." Sakura laughed nervously. She knew she was bad at lying, Tomoyo knew she was bad at lying; the whole world knew that she was a horrible liar! Sakura hoped that by some miracle, Li wouldn't be able to detect her untruthfulness.

"Is that all you wanted to talk with me about? You're really strange, you know that. While I'm here, I may as well pick up my coat anyway."

"R-right, I'll go get if for you. Wait one second." Sakura scurried off to fetch his black trench coat and Tomoyo only watched sympathetically. She felt awful for her friend's unlucky predicament, but did she have to go with such a pathetic lie? Tomoyo shook her head. She would have to teach her about the fine art of deceit. On a more serious note, Sakura would definitely need some coaxing to tell Syaoran now. Tomoyo decided that she would just support whatever decision her friend made on the situation.

"I've got it right here. I'll walk you to the door, Li." Sakura gingerly handed Li back his coat and led him to the door. With a friendly smile and wave, she watched him walk away. Closing the door, she repeatedly beat her head up against the wooden surface while muttering the words "Stupid Coward!" over and over again.

* * *

_What was with her? Worrying over finding out my coat size is not a good enough reason to call me out here. There has to be another reason, but what could it have been? _Syaoran placed his hands inside the pockets of his coat in thought and was surprised when he felt something inside the supposedly empty pocket. 

Grasping the object in his hand, he retrieved the small envelope that sparked big thoughts. _If this was the coat that she borrowed, then she had to have seen it!_

This alarming thought caught him off-guard. Could she have found out? He didn't need any pity from her especially. Shoving the envelope back inside the hole it came from, he tried to convince himself that the auburn-haired, young woman had no clue about his parents' deaths. There was no use in sharing something like that with her.

As he walked down the empty streets, those walls that Sakura had unconsciously broken down rebuilt themselves. He was reverting to his pre-Kinomoto state, where he was only concentrated on his goal of getting back at the person who murdered his parents. It was back to the old ways of life. Kinomoto's presence was just a break from reality. Someone that carefree could never understand the harsh brutality of the real world.

* * *

**A/N: Ok, I didn't realize just how long I had gone without updating until a few days ago. I can't believe it has been over a month. Man, times sure does fly. Anyway, hope you liked this chapter and I will update as soon as I am able! I promise!  
**

**Review!**

**See You Next Chapter,**

**RadiantSun **


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_ Chapter 8_

**The Night Softens**

The running water from the shower head rained upon his skin as he tried to wake up with a warm shower that morning. He cut off the steady flow and stepped out from behind the shower curtain. Wrapping a towel around himself, he went into his room to put on some clothes.

It was another moment of another day in his bleak life in which he really felt like sleeping. Any other day he probably would have, but today he had important plans that had to be checked over so as to erase any flaws for when he put that plan into action later tonight.

His days of carefree thinking were over and so was the time he spent with Kinomoto. He would go on with his true intentions and ignore the girl so she would come to hate him. It was better that way.

If they went their separate ways, then he didn't have to worry about her finding anything out or getting caught up in anything dangerous. It was much better that way because he didn't want her sympathetic pity. _Such a cheerful girl doesn't need to be burdened with this dark reality of life: my life. _

His roaming gaze fell upon the answering machine that was once again full of messages. He didn't even bother listening to them. Usually, it was Kinomoto that made him play out his messages and answer the phone when she was around, but that wasn't going to be the case anymore.

He hadn't the time for idle talk with relatives or "friends." He didn't need them and, frankly, he didn't want to need them. He could accomplish things on his own without anyone's help.

Sitting down on his bed fully dressed, Syaoran let out a sigh as thoughts of two sparkling, emerald eyes resurfaced in his mind. Since he left her apartment yesterday, Kinomoto hadn't contacted him in any way so he hadn't had to avoid her yet. He knew that time would come though, and – as he had been convincing himself all morning – it would be better if she came to hate him and left him alone.

* * *

"Have a good time!" Sakura smiled happily at Eriol and Tomoyo as they headed off for another date. It was a few hours after noon and the sky looked to be turning darker as if a thunderstorm was coming. She recalled that the news might have said something about it yesterday. 

Sakura, herself, had always been a tad afraid of thunderstorms. She loved the rain, but the thunder not so much. Checking the sky once again, she deduced that she still had some time before it started up. She had to go check on her family's graves and clean those up a bit if the need be.

On her walk to the cemetery, her mind wandered from thought to thought and landed on a certain man. She hadn't spoken to him since yesterday afternoon. It was just that she was too much of a coward to face Syaoran's wrath. She didn't want him to hate her, but she knew he had every right to because of her curiosity.

_Why didn't I just slip the envelope back into the pocket when it fell out? Why did I have to go and read it?! _Sakura felt like beating her head against something hard but refrained from doing so. It would attract too much attention from the other people walking down the streets.

The wind began to pick up ever so slightly and was just sharp enough to cut through her thin, light-pink windbreaker. Reprimanding herself for not wearing a thicker coat, she quickened her pace so she would arrive at the graveyard faster and cut down on the time she would be mobile.

Upon reaching the wrought-iron gates to the old cemetery just on the outside of town, Sakura retraced a worn path from the entrance to three marked headstones. They were positioned beneath a weeping willow that seemed to droop with the sorrows of all the families whose relatives were buried on its grounds.

It was where she and her brother and father had buried her mother first. Then it was she who buried her brother and father right beside her mother beneath the shade and protection of the tree's drooping limbs. Staring placidly down at the names etched in stone that were so definite, Sakura's lips were graced with a tiny smile.

Little by little, the gaping void residing in her heart was being filled in by the love of her friends that cared so deeply for her. She knew they could only fill that hole to a certain extent because she would never let her family be erased from her heart completely. She would always remember as much as she could about the way they smiled and laughed or the way they used to behave in the mornings while she was rushing to beat the school bell.

Those memories would always remain within her mind, but she knew that there was one person filling in a part of that void her friends were unable to cure. _He _was the one mending it so effortlessly. Syaoran wasn't even trying to give her kindness, yet he had given her so much subconsciously. That was why she had to be honest with him and gather up her bravery to tell him the truth about how much she knew about his past. Integrity, she had heard the word many times, but she had no idea how hard it could be to show.

"Mom, Dad and, of course, Touya, I want you to know that I'm doing alright. Even though I still miss you, I know that you all wish for my happiness. I'll do my best to make you proud of me. Please lend me some courage, _my brave brother_, because I don't think that I can face this problem of mine without some help."

Sakura laughed to herself as if Touya was standing right before her with a scowl on his face stemming from her sarcastic remark about his courage. Bending down on her knees, Sakura began fixing the flowers in the pot in front of each headstone to make them look more presentable. Pulling out the weeds that were growing up around the gravestone, Sakura stood up and brushed herself off of any grassy remnants. "Wish me luck you guys."

With one last smile in the direction of the three cold stones, Sakura made her way towards the iron-gated entrance and back to the city where she would most-definitely find Syaoran: anger and all.

* * *

Syaoran fastened his sword to the side of his hip and continued to prepare himself for what was to lie ahead. That small white envelope laid cast aside on his kitchen table. The only thing it provided him with was distant emotions he had detached himself from those many years ago. No concrete evidence of where the man he was after was located or anything important like that. 

The murderer of his parents had escaped the sentencing of law, but he would not escape the edge of his sword. Syaoran would make sure that justice was served by his own hand. He was prepared to take whatever consequences followed as well. The only thing he received from all the clippings and papers in the white envelope (after reading between the lines) was a location.

He wasn't sure if his hunch was correct or not, but it was his only idea for the moment. If the person he pursued happened to be there tonight, then the rest of his plan would be placed into action. It was a plan he was willing to risk his own life for.

Exiting his house, Syaoran made his way down the street and towards the large building of a wealthy corporation. It used to be his fathers building, but his corporation was taken over by a money-crazed businessman shortly after his death. That same businessman was who Syaoran knew as the killer.

He found it ironic that if his father wouldn't have been so successful in his life, then he probably wouldn't be dead. He remembered his father talking about someone trying to buy out his company, but he didn't want to sell. The next thing Syaoran knew was that his father and mother were both in the hospital suffering from an unknown poison in their bloodstream. There was no cure and no way to save his parents.

He later found out that a drug had been slipped into their drinks while they were at a meeting with the man who wanted to buy out their company. That man was charged, found not guilty and let off scotch free. Syaoran knew the truth though. That man killed his parents just to get the company. That reason alone was enough to make him feel like screaming out of rage.

As he recalled these unpleasant details from his past, his anger level rose immensely. He tried to control it because his plan required a level head, but it was growing difficult to suppress. Tonight it was all or nothing.

* * *

Sakura had been to Syaoran's house but was unhappy to find it empty. Now she walked down the streets in vain hoping by some miracle she could find him. The buildings and lamp posts all seemed to mock her as they towered like giants above her petite self. The sun was setting now, and the evening shadows stretched across the ground as silhouettes of their true selves. 

She didn't realize how long she must have spent at her family's graves, but it must have been a solid two hours. She had been lucky so far in that the sky only seemed to darken as a result of the last candle of day flickering in the wind without the added drops of rain falling to the ground from the forecasted thunderstorm.

Crack! Her well of luck had just run dry. The thunder shook the sky and Sakura's reserve of bravery. She ran blindly with her ambition to find Syaoran lost somewhere between the falling rain and the flashing lightning. There was only one thought on her mind: run!

That was when she saw it: a lone person who dared brave the ferocious storm. _Oh wait, he's going into that building over there. Maybe I can go too?_

Another round of thunder commenced as she closed in on the building's front doors. _I don't care if he says no. I'm getting into that building no matter what!_

Sopping wet, Sakura pried open the door and entered into a lobby-like room. No one was inside since it just so happened to be one of the few days of the year the building was closed for the day. She cried out in fear as thunder shook the ground beneath her feet. As she rushed over to what she guessed was the receptionist desk, she hid underneath its sturdy cover and hugged her knees close to her chest.

In between the clashes of thunder Sakura began to wonder what had become of that man she had seen enter a few minutes before her. She forgot all about it, however, as another round of thunder rolled in after the lightning.

It was becoming too difficult to hold in all the forming tears, so she just let them fall. No one was there to see her cry in fear, and no one was there to comfort her racing emotions. It was fine nevertheless. She could make it on her own if the need arose.

That was the exact moment that she realized something else about Syaoran. He probably had his mind set on making it alone in this world. Independence was great, but you have to depend on others every once in a while. Share the laughter as well as the pain.

After she told Syaoran about her knowing of his parents' deaths, she would tell him to lean on someone's shoulder every now and then. What linked them together were the deaths of their families, and Sakura now understood that was what compelled her to help him so much. Even back when she didn't know the truth, she had still felt as if they were tied together by a thread of fate. It was just that thread had remained unnamed up until now.

Sakura tensed as she heard the soft pit-pat of footsteps resonating through the empty space of the open-floored building. She sniffled as quietly as possible and wiped her eyes of any watery residue. The footsteps stopped, but now she listened as another pair continued on.

_Or was that the rain? Darn the stupid storm!_ The creak of hinges and the sudden gust of wind informed her that the door had been opened. She craned her head in the direction under the desk closest to the sound. Hearing through a wooden desk really was a hard task.

"To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" Sakura had heard this voice before. Sometime not too long ago that she should be able to remember it.

"My visit is not aimed at you. Where is your boss?" Sakura took in a quick, sharp breath. This voice was not as hard to place as the other. It was Syaoran.

"Let me ask you something, boy. Do you even know what Boss looks like?" A long pause followed in which Sakura heard nothing at all. The unknown man spoke again when Syaoran did not respond. "What are you planning to do once you find him if you don't even know his appearance?"

"I plan to get revenge for my parents' deaths."

"What are you basing your information on? Do you even know for sure if Boss murdered your parents?"

Sakura's heart skipped a beat as the word "murder" left the unknown man's mouth. It came as a complete shock to her. _His parents were murdered!? This can't be right! The papers I saw didn't say a thing. _

"I know for a fact that man murdered my parents. I know that for a fact."

"How, _little Syaoran_, when I know for a fact that he did not?"

"I was there three years ago! I was at the business meeting against my mother's orders and – what did you call me?"

"Oh, does the name "little Syaoran" mean something to you?"

"That was what the man who wanted to buy my father's company called me those times I spoke with him on the phone."

"Are we still adding two and two together? Don't make me spell it out for you. Really, Boss is worried about you assassinating him for nothing."

"You – you're the man who murdered my parents!?"

"Bravo, you finally understand. Yes, it was me. I slipped a homemade poison into their drinks without Boss' knowledge, but he was just happy to get the company."

"So you killed my parents just so your boss could get the company?"

"No, I had my own reasons." The man chuckled maliciously and Sakura could feel the tension rising. The breaking point in Syaoran was reached when his voice pierced through the malevolent cackling.

"I'm going to kill you."

Syaoran sounded extremely angry, and Sakura worried he might actually kill the man. Though she thought it was a well deserved punishment, she was afraid to think that Syaoran would really kill another human. It sent chills down her spine.

The clash of swords brought her from her thoughts and then everything fell into place. That unknown voice was that man she had encountered twice before, and he went by the name of Redan.

As she sat there, she felt as though she should do something other that sit on her rump uselessly. Careful not to bump her head, she crawled out from beneath the desk and peered over the top. It was hard to make out within the darkness which figure was which, but when lightning lit up the entire first floor of the building for a split second, she saw that Syaoran was the one with his back to her.

She listened in horror as the sound of a sword skidding across the floor was heard through the pitch black building. Now worried who that sword belonged to, she frantically searched for a light switch to shed light on the situation. Upon finding one, she did not like the sight that met her emerald eyes.

Redan was holding Syaoran up by his throat and cutting off his air circulation. Syaoran's face was turning red as he struggled to free himself from an iron grip that only seemed to constrict the more he wrestled to get loose. Sakura acted before her mind had time to register what she was doing.

"STOP!" She ran at the two men with tears forming in her eyes. She didn't want to see Syaoran suffering: he had already suffered enough. She latched herself onto the man's arm that was holding onto a choking Li and bit as hard as she could.

He merely shoved her away roughly with the hilt of his sword, and she landed face down right beside Syaoran's earlier lost weapon. Rashly, she grasped the hilt in her hand and ran blindly at the man, pulling on her memories of Syaoran fighting for guidance. She managed to cut him in the side before being knocked roughly to the side herself. She stumbled to keep her balance and finally steadied herself. _Li!_

She ran immediately to his side as he sat there catching his lost breath after being released from Redan's hold. "Are you alright?"

"What the hell are you doing here!?" Sakura shrank back from him in a moment of shock.

"I – I wanted to get out of the storm, so I came in here. That's not the point; the point is I have something I need to tell you. I found out about your parent's deaths when I opened a white envelope in the pocket of the coat you lent me. I read it and I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She looked pleadingly at him for forgiveness he seemed not likely to give. He grabbed his sword from her hands abruptly and pushed her to the side as he simultaneously raised his weapon to block Redan's downward attack.

Shoving him backwards, Syaoran grabbed Sakura by the wrist and began to run for the exit. After making it down several streets in the thunderstorm with Sakura crying out at every crack of thunder, they ended up at Sakura's house after much pleading on her part. She really wanted to get in out of the rain, and her house was closer than Syaoran's.

She locked the door behind them and dove for the sofa when she heard the latest roll of thunder. No words passed between the two as Syaoran suffered the after-effects of running quickly, and Sakura coward in fear from the storm.

He was torn between comforting her and doing nothing. He wanted to keep true to his declaration of having her hate him, but it was becoming hard. _So she did know._

He shook his head in distaste. He didn't want such a carefree girl burdened with his dark past. He had wanted to shield her from his dark side, but in the end she found out anyway. He didn't want her to think of him as an evil person bent on revenge. In fact, she was probably the first person he wanted to be accepted by since the death of his parents. Now that she knew everything, acceptance would be hard to come by.

"I'm sorry, Li." She peered over the top of the couch at him with teary eyes.

"How much did you hear before?" Syaoran spoke indifferently and caught her in an intense gaze, daring her to lie. Sakura looked away from him ashamed. "All of it." He heaved a heavy sigh, and she looked at him in guilt.

"I'm sor-" Sakura began, but Syaoran interrupted her out of frustration.

"If you say "I'm sorry" one more time, you'll regret it. I don't need your sympathy."

"Listen here, mister," Sakura scolded her friend in a motherly way, "I don't know what your problem is, but can't you be a little nicer to me? I'm just trying to say I'm sorry for looking in that envelope without your permission. It was wrong, and I was trying to apologize." After saying that, she realized it sounded like she wasn't sorry that his parents had died. "B-But it's not like I'm not sorry about your parents because that would be inhuman if I wasn't!"

"Don't worry yourself with something you don't understand." She was about to retort with about how she fully understood it but was stopped when a loud clash of thunder prevented her next words from leaving her mouth. "You're really scared of thunder, aren't you?"

"I have been ever since I was little." She sniffled a bit before offering him a seat on the couch as well. He declined, but she insisted. He caved; she smiled. "I have one question. Do you forgive me, and can I still be your friend even though I found out something personal behind your back?"

Syaoran stared at her with a small smirk. "I believe that was two, wasn't it."

She gave him a dry look before repeating her questions. He didn't know what to say. One minute he was filled with murderous intent because he was facing his parent's killer, and the next he was here beside her calm and content. What was it about her that could change his earlier resolve to have her hate him so quickly? "Yes to both, I guess."

She gave him a broad smile and clapped her hands together in a childish way.

"Oh and Kinomoto?"

"Yes?"

"Don't ever do something as stupid as trying to save me again. You could have been seriously injured."

"Are you saying I should have just watched him strangle you? I acted even before I knew what I was doing. And you, what are you doing getting yourself into these situations?"

As soon as the words had left her mouth, she wanted to retract them from the air and stuff them back in her stupid mouth in place of her foot. Syaoran didn't say anything for a moment, and Sakura wanted to beat her head against the wall. She had already heard why he was doing this; it was for revenge.

"I'm sorry; you don't have to answer that! I just acted before I thought again." She tried to repair her blunder, but he only seemed to become irritated.

"What is it with you and apologizing all the time? It's annoying." Syaoran leaned his head back against the back of the sofa and closed his eyes to relax. Silence settled and Sakura sat quietly, wringing her hands in her lap nervously. Finally, when she was filled with enough courage, she spoke. "Li, are you happy?"

The question caught him off guard, and he didn't know what to say. Was he happy? He believed that if he got revenge for his parents then happiness would follow, but now he was not so sure.

"You have to let go of the past to be happy. You have to let in the light to save you from darkness. If you want to be happy, then you have to depend on others for that happiness. You can't gain true happiness by yourself."

"What are you talking about, Kinomoto? You sound like a fortune cookie right now." He re-closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the sofa once more. Sakura looked at him with smiling eyes. _I want you to be happy, and I will continue trying to make you smile. I want to be your light in the dark. I will definitely save you._

Yawning from exhaustion, Sakura closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep with a certain brown-eyed boy on her mind.

"Kinomoto?" Syaoran received no answer and, as he was about to crack open one eye to see why she didn't respond, was slightly surprised when her head came to rest on his shoulder. _She's asleep? She must have been really tired._ His face softened, and he laid the side of his head on top of hers. "Thank you for everything, Sakura."

As Tomoyo opened her door after returning from her date with Eriol, she was pleasantly surprised by the sight she found on the couch. Sneaking off the get her camera, she took various snap shots from different angles. There on the couch sat Syaoran and Sakura snuggled up together and sleeping peacefully. Tomoyo gingerly covered them with a blanket before tip-toeing off to her own room with a small giggle.

_Those two are so adorable!_ Now she actually had something to use for blackmailing Syaoran (rather than using a bluff like she had when trying to get him to come down to the house the first time Sakura was going to confess to opening the white envelope). _I guess this means they made up._

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long, but school had been keeping me busy and I couldn't spare any time for fan fictions, but now summer is here! I'll do my best to crank out the next chapters as quick as I can, but I must warn you: lots ****of vacationing happens over the summer. **

** Well I hope you liked this chapter! (It is my longest so far.) **

** Review!!! Please!!!! **

**See You Next Chapter,**

**RadiantSun  
**


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_Chapter 9_

**The Sun Assures**

"Give me those!" Syaoran called out in frustration as he chased a madly-smiling Tomoyo around the room.

"No way, these are precious photos!" She waved her blackmail material in front of his face, and he snatched them away from her faster than the eye could blink. A great blush was playing out on his face as he stared down at the photos of him and Sakura sleeping peacefully on the couch side by side. "Those are your copies anyway. I have a bunch more hidden away." She laughed maniacally at the defeated look on his face.

"Tomoyo! What are these?! I found them on my dresser." A pink-faced Sakura emerged from her room with the same photos in hand. Tomoyo laughed at her friend's embarrassed demeanor before walking out of the living room and leaving Sakura and Syaoran to wallow in their embarrassment. Sakura dared not look at Syaoran for fear of her face turning a darker shade of red if that was at all possible.

She remembered waking up that morning cuddled up next to him and with his arm draped around her shoulder. Out of all her many embarrassing moments, Tomoyo had to capture this one with her camera. An uneasy silence settled between the two as they each stared down at the pictures in their hands. Darn that Tomoyo and her love of photography!

It had been little over a week since that stormy night, and Sakura had begun to see a _slightly _more carefree Syaoran. He didn't seem completely happy, but he seemed like he was on the right path to getting there. She would just have to push him along the rest of the way. "Li, do you want to do something together later today?" Syaoran sent her a quizzical glance before shrugging his shoulders.

"I guess it would be fine. What did you have in mind?"

"I was hoping you had some idea." She replied in a sheepish tone, and he only sighed. "You wanted me to make a decision, huh?" Syaoran was flashed a guilty smile that caused him to shake his head to the side, a small smirk gracing his handsome features. "Why don't we go to dinner?"

Sakura nodded her head in total agreement. "It's a date." Syaoran eyed her suspiciously, so she mulled her words over to find a hint as to why he was giving her such a look. A few seconds later, a blush had fought its way onto her face with much resistance on her part. "I-I didn't mean it like that. This is just a date between friends, not a romantic date!" She waved her hands in front of her face defensively to emphasize her point.

"Well I'll meet you here at seven or so. How does that sound?" He started walking towards the door and she followed. "That sounds just fine." They said their goodbyes and Sakura closed the door. She looked down at the pictures in her hand and realized that Syaoran had taken his copies with him instead of throwing them away. A strange sensation filled her stomach but was instantly pushed away when she realized that she couldn't let Tomoyo off the hook just yet.

"Tomoyo!" She beckoned with false sweetness which worked like a charm to lure her long-haired friend out from her room with a false sense of security. Still in her sweet voice, Sakura addressed her friend once more. "Tomoyo, that was very embarrassing, and I didn't really appreciate – Tomoyo, what are you doing?"

Her friend was currently looking on the floor, behind the sofa and in the trash for something Sakura guessed she had lost. "I just figured Syaoran's copies of those photos would have been around here somewhere, and I didn't want to let them go to waste. So, where are my precious pictures?"

"He took them with him." Sakura spoke slowly out of uncertainty.

Tomoyo's face lightened up at this simple response, and she got up from her crouched position on the floor – she had been trying to peep in the slight open area between the underneath of the sofa and the ground – and looked at Sakura with glowing eyes. "Really!?"

Sakura nodded her head confusedly, and Tomoyo squealed in delight. "I'm so very glad I called him down here in the first place. I had only wanted to see the priceless look on his face when he saw what you two looked like sleeping on that couch together, but this is even better! Now I know for sure!" Sakura tried to keep Tomoyo from jumping up and down with joy as if she had ingested a load of sweets and was just now feeling the hyper after-effects of the sugary confection.

"What is wrong with you? Calm down, Tomoyo!" Tomoyo immediately stopped her outburst of happiness and placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder. She looked straight into her friend's emerald eyes and spoke in a very businesslike-congratulatory tone. "I congratulate you, Sakura."

Tomoyo gave her a friendly slap in the arm and returned to her room leaving a stunned Sakura to think about seriously sending her friend to get checked for her mental stability. One minute she was bouncing off the walls and then the next she was serene as humanly possible.

In her room Tomoyo picked up the land line phone and dialed hastily. "Chiharu, our suspicions have been confirmed. I really do think he likes our little Sakura."

"This is great!"

"I know!"

"Sakura's clueless, isn't she?"

"Yep!"

Chiharu laughed at Tomoyo's answer. Sakura was just too dimwitted for her own good when it came to things like this. They continued their conversation about what they should do next to "get things a rolling" as they had put it when Sakura pried open Tomoyo's door innocently.

The violet-eyed beauty instantly shoved the telephone receiver underneath her pillow and turned as inconspicuously as she could to Sakura. With her head peaking through the door, the auburn topped girl looked shamefully at Tomoyo.

"Can you help me with something? Syaoran and I are going to dinner together tonight, and I don't know what the weather is going to be like. I don't know if I should wear a heavy or a light jacket. Which one would be better, Tomoyo?" She figured that her knowledgeable friend would know what the weather was going to be later this evening and decided to ask her rather than consult the television.

Tomoyo let her jaw drop down and gaped openly at Sakura. "You should have told me earlier! What time is he getting here?" Tomoyo almost had a heart attack when Sakura told her seven o'clock. It was going on five now; this would definitely not do! She was not about to let Sakura walk out of this house without the proper modifications. Those modifications would probably take about two hours, so she had to get started right away!

"What do you plan on wearing? Where is he taking you?"

"Jeans, a shirt and I don't know."

"You are so not wearing jeans! My prime model, ha! I think not! Go into your room, and I'll be there shortly to show you what you can wear. Geez, Sakura, this is a date."

The said girl's face turned red at her friend's innocent comment. "It isn't a date, Tomoyo!" She shut the door and stalked off into her room.

Tomoyo sighed in private and shook her head. _She's in denial; how I wish I had my video camera to catch this cute moment._

"Tomoyo!"

Tomoyo immediately swiveled her head around in search of the voice. Was God talking to her or something? "If this is about the pictures, I'm sorry! They were just too adorable for me not to upload them onto my website."

She looked up with pleading eyes in hopes of forgiveness, but the only response she received was another name calling.

"Tomoyo, are you even there!?" _Wait, that's not God. _She felt like a total idiot when she remembered that Chiharu was still on the line. Hurriedly picking up the phone, Tomoyo relayed the "date situation" to her friend.

"It seems we didn't have to get anything rolling after all, Tomoyo." Chiharu said slyly before they exchanged their goodbyes. Chiharu immediately went to work notifying everyone else while Tomoyo quickly went to help Sakura with getting prepared for her date. And by the end of the next two hours, she would have Sakura thinking that as well.

* * *

"It's not a date!" Sakura and Syaoran both denied vehemently for what seemed like the millionth time in a ten minute time span. Tomoyo had been pestering Syaoran ever since he entered into the apartment about where he was taking Sakura on their date. She had even invited Chiharu and Rika. (Naoko was very troubled to know she had to miss her friend's date for a book signing.) 

"Oh, I'm sorry, an outing between friends then." Tomoyo winked in an exaggerated way which clearly implied she thought otherwise. The three giggly women waved the couple out of the house with goofy grins on their faces.

"You guys, I think they were telling the truth. I don't think it is a date." Rika's declaration extracted loud gasps from both Tomoyo and Chiharu.

"Of course it's a date, Rika, don't say something like that." Chiharu laughed it off, but she was beginning to worry if that was the truth. Tomoyo wanted to cling to the prospect of "date" and concocted a plan. The three girls were going to trail Sakura and Syaoran and take observations on whether it was a genuine date or not.

"Let's keep the hope alive, girls." Tomoyo lead the trio out of the house and down the front steps.

"Hey, Tomoyo, do you know where they were going?" Tomoyo stopped dead in her tracks and brought her index finger to her chin in thought. Chiharu let her shoulders shrug to the side, and Rika allowed her dainty hands to touch her forehead in an incredulously irritated gesture. She, being the most mature of the group, felt like it was her duty to supply the answer to Chiharu's earlier posed question.

"Do you not see them walking down the street? Can't we just follow them?" Chiharu instantly came to life from her slouched standing posture and stood tall and proud. Tomoyo nodded her head in agreement. "Welcome to the dark side, Rika."

Rika smiled feebly, worried that her friend had gotten just a little too into this "spy" game of hers. No wanting to be left behind – the other two girls were already ten feet ahead of her – Rika hurried to catch up with the excited girls.

"Hey, I just realized something. We need codenames." Chiharu and Tomoyo continued to converse among themselves while Rika tuned them out and trained her eyes on Syaoran and Sakura, who were talking amiably among themselves still unaware of their presence.

She couldn't help but smile herself when she saw the blissful and truly content smile on Sakura's face. Syaoran had succeeded where she, Tomoyo, Chiharu and Naoko had all failed. He had brought even more life back to Sakura's brilliant, beaming smile.

* * *

"Hey, so where are you taking me, Li? I'd like to know at least that." Sakura spoke over the mummer of the crowded streets and moving vehicles. 

"To a restaurant, nothing fancy, I warn you." Syaoran glanced at Sakura out of the corner of his eye, but jerked his gaze back to the front when she caught his stare. Rubbing the back of his head nervously, he took in a deep breath to calm himself. All that "date" talk must have been getting to him.

"You look nice, Kinomoto."

"Is it too dressy for where we're going, or is it not dressy enough? Tomoyo went crazy with make-up and hairspray, so for all I know, I could look like a clown. She didn't even give me time to look in the mirror before you arrived."

"Kinomoto."

"Yes?"

"You look beautiful, don't worry."

Sakura blinked from surprise before she looked to the ground in an attempt to hide a growing blush from Syaoran's eyes. Syaoran, too, realized just what he had said, and his face reddened slightly as well. "What I meant was– well, I only meant that you – I don't know what I meant. You just look good, okay?"

Sakura looked up at him with a small grin creeping silently onto her face. _ He is so cute when flustered. Wait, cute? _ She stared intensely at him for a moment. "You look handsome as well." _Did I just say that! What am I thinking? What am I talking about; I wasn't thinking just then._

"We're here." Sakura's smile faltered when he didn't respond to her compliment, but she had it back up in not time. Syaoran opened the door for her like a gentleman, and Sakura thanked him like a lady.

As she walked past him into the Italian restaurant, he whispered to her. "Thanks for the compliment. I'm glad you think so." Sakura blushed but kept on walking successfully. They took a seat at a nearby booth, and the waitress came and took their orders almost immediately.

"Great service they have here." Sakura commented.

"Yeah, my parents used to eat here all the time with me." _Why did I have to bring that up of all things? Dang, I'm stupid!_ He watched as Sakura twirled her straw around in her drink, making the ice knock against the glass with a small _tink_ each time.

"You must have a lot of fond memories of your family, huh?"

"Yeah, but now it's only my four annoying sisters and me left in my intermediate family, that is."

"Did you ever call your sisters back like I told you, Li?" Sakura asked in her best stern mother voice. Syaoran looked away from her sheepishly, and she stamped her foot under the table indignantly. "Li! You are going to call them if I have to dial the phone for you!"

Syaoran whined in protest like a little child. "But they are so annoying, and I hate talking on the phone." Both stared each other down for a moment before laughing at their petty argument.

Sakura had seen a change in Syaoran ever since that stormy night that seemed so long ago. He was now more cheery and less bent on revenge, but Sakura still had her suspicions. She didn't believe he had let go of his desire so effortlessly. She thought about how she would approach this delicate topic the entire time that they were eating their food and decided she would give it a try after she finished. She glanced at Syaoran quickly and uncertainty and nervousness instantly flooded her mind. _Maybe I'll get some dessert too._

* * *

"Kero-chan, do you copy?" 

"Yes, I hear you loud and clear because we're behind a trash can _and_ you are _talking in my ear!_ And get your elbow out of my face, Rika."

"Hey! We're using codenames here, Chi – I mean, Takashi's Angel."

"Oh, my bad. _Teacher's Pet, _will you please dislodge your elbow from my jaw? That better, Kero-chan?!"

"Much."

"Hey, which one of you geniuses came up with my name?"

"It was a mutual agreement." Chiharu responded for both Tomoyo and she.

"Shh! Here they come!" The three watched as Sakura and Syaoran exited an Italian restaurant and headed down the street.

"T-Angel? Why didn't we just eat at the same place they did instead of going to that fast food restaurant? I still have the rancid taste in my mouth of that burnt burger. Yuck!"

"Oh shut-it, Kero. I feel bad for Eriol since he has to put up with such a high maintenance girlfriend all the time." Chiharu and Tomoyo engaged themselves into an intense staring contest.

"Hate to break up the fight between you two, but Sakura and Syaoran are almost out of sight." Both girls snapped their heads in the direction of their targets at Rika's words and almost knocked each other over in their scramble to follow.

_I'd hate to tell it to them, but from what I've seen Sakura and Syaoran's date really doesn't look like one. Oh well, I guess I'll let those two have their fun. _ She sighed heavily when Tomoyo and Chiharu both attempted to hide behind the same skinny light pole for the sake of stealth.

* * *

"I've been thinking." Sakura began the conversation she was positive he didn't want to touch, but she would force herself to complete it. 

"About what?" Syaoran answered absentmindedly because he was too busy trying to glare-down another man who had been looking at Sakura. It had been his first impulse, but he wasn't sure why he was doing it. However, now that he was, he was not about to back down.

"Well, about you, your parents and … your need for revenge. I know that it's hard to lose someone you love, but trying to exact revenge for their deaths is dangerous. I was hoping you would stop going after your parent's murderer and forget your thoughts of revenge."

There, she had said it just like she had practiced it inside her head ever since the beginning of their Italian meal. Sakura nervously glanced at Syaoran and saw that his face was set in a frown as always. _How is he going to respond? I'm so worried._

"I can't promise that, Kinomoto." Sakura cringed at the cold tone of his voice but pressed on.

"Why not? You can't bring them back with revenge, so why put yourself in danger? They wouldn't want this for you. Your parents would want you to be happy!" Sakura's voice was growing in decibels and attracting the attention of the few people around them. It was getting darker as the sun began to slip below the horizon, and it was close to time for the street lamps to turn the night into artificial day.

"You don't know the pain that comes with the loss of a loved one, so don't talk to me like you do." Syaoran's voice came out in a deep, menacing hiss, and he was surprised at himself. He felt extremely bad after the words sprang from his mouth on impulse, but his pride wasn't about to let him take them back.

Sakura stared at him wide eyed before wrenching her wrist from his grasp as if he were hot to the touch. She felt the tingling sensation in her nose that caused her eyes to tear up. Not wanting to cry in front of him, she tore down the street as fast as her legs would allow.

Syaoran stood rooted to the spot as he watched her disappear to who knew where. He was confused about whether to chase after her or not. Deciding against it, he placed his hands inside his pockets roughly and turned around to leave only to be met with three pairs of fiery eyes possessed by three women with hands on their hips. He was very surprised by the sudden encounter to say the least.

"Where the heck do you think you're going, Li?" Tomoyo was trembling with rage, and Rika was struggling to keep Chiharu contained because she had already made it quite clear that Li was not going to be alive after she was through with him. Rika, herself, was fighting the urge to slap Syaoran.

"Do you have any idea what you've said?!" Tomoyo spoke darkly, and Li couldn't help but worry if he was going to end up in a ditch somewhere.

"So you heard all that?"

"Yes, we heard every word of "that," didn't we, ladies?" They both nodded curtly.

"You better go apologize to Sakura right now." Chiharu stared him down, but Syaoran matched it with his own intense glare. "Why should I? She's the one who crossed the line."

"Li, stop wallowing in your own self-pity. You're not the only person who's ever lost someone precious to them. Wake up; stop being that poor, pathetic little boy and be a man! You aren't the only person that's ever suffered in this world."

"That's easy for you to say, Daidoji. You've never experienced this pain!" The slap that was heard around the world occurred that day when Tomoyo's dainty hand clashed with Syaoran's unsuspecting face. As he stood there holding his burning cheek, Tomoyo panted heavily out of physical exhaustion (they had been trailing Sakura and Syaoran all day) and outrage.

"I wasn't talking about me, moron! You had better go apologize to Sakura, or we'll never forgive you. It took us forever to get that smile back on her face, and if you wipe it off, you'll pay the consequences."

_What are they talking about? Surely, they don't mean … _"Where can I find her?" The trio seemed to be satisfied with the urgency in his voice and immediately told him the location they figured Sakura would be at. His heart skipped a beat, and he took off at a sprint towards a place he had not visited since his parents were placed six feet under: a graveyard.

Sure enough, he saw her seated beneath a weeping willow staring at the sky with a blank face devoid of emotion. _Her eyes look so dull._

* * *

Sakura had just finished her long and exhausting dash through the city and currently panted audibly as she leaned against the wrought iron gate for support. She hadn't realized where she was headed until she reached the very spot she was standing on. Her subconscious must have guided her through the dimly lit city streets and out here to this rural area. Maybe it was because she came here every week that it just felt like the safest place to be considering her circumstances. 

She could be allowed sweet silence and could cry without regret of worrying someone about her internal sadness. Sakura stared out at the sea of tombstones with a rueful smile. Her talk with Syaoran had not gone as she had planned. She wasn't supposed to have gotten all emotional like that and expect him to understand why. She hadn't even told him that her parents were dead as well.

She sighed dispiritedly. He was supposed to have agreed to her demand and then smiled happily, but this whole ordeal had only brought up memories of a time in her life where she did nothing but cry. Lie in bed all day and cry all night. It used to be her way of life before Tomoyo finally drew back the curtains and let the despicable sun flash brightly in her eyes.

She gave a barely detectable half-hearted smile while her eyes continued to pour out tears. She remembered that day clearly; that was the day Tomoyo named herself Sakura's new apartment buddy. She had forcefully dragged a protestant Sakura from her bed – along with her bed sheets – and thrust her into the shower pajamas and all. That woke Sakura up very quickly, and in a matter of minutes, she was chasing Tomoyo through the apartment sopping wet. After the two had called a truce, Sakura was forced to dress up nicely and enjoy the city life offered to her.

Had it not been for Tomoyo, she could still have been lying in her gloomy room this very day with nothing but the melancholic sound of complete silence to comfort her. She had been saved by Tomoyo but was imprisoned once again by sorrow when Syaoran Li entered her life in the most unexpected of ways.

He was suffering just as she had suffered a year ago, except he had no one to comfort him. No one to allow in the sun so he now roamed lost in an eternal darkness. She could have become like him had Tomoyo not been present in her life.

The torrential downpour of tears had stopped and now she only sniffled quietly. Somewhere between the minute she arrived and now, she had sat down with her back against the trunk of the lone weeping willow tree. She stared up at the clear night sky with its many twinkling stars and captivating moon. Even in the dark of night, the moon still shined some amount of light on the earth.

She stayed like that for a moment before redirecting her attention to the three stone objects in front of her. She stared with a ghostly, unbroken gaze until she was startled by the sound of a twig snapping nearby. Fearing to turn her head towards the sound, she sat immobile and dared not breathe a bit of air so her position would definitely stay hidden.

This plan, just like her other with Syaoran, failed, and her scream sliced through the quiet night like a knife as a strong hand gripped her shoulder from behind. Ever so slowly, she turned her head to see behind her only to be even more shocked when she saw who the person was. "L-Li? Why are you here?"

His eyes couldn't help but soften at the sight he beheld. Sakura was visibly exhausted from running and crying. He could see the remnants of teary trails sliding down her cheek that salty water had once traveled, giving concrete evidence of the fact that she had been weeping a lot. Her eyes really were duller than anything he had witnessed before: not at all the sparkling emeralds usually accompanying her cheerful face.

_I still don't believe that Sakura could be like me. She's always so cheerful, so I can't bring myself to believe it. _"Look, I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier, but there was no reason for you to get all worked up over it. It is my life after all."

Casting her face downward to shade her eyes from Syaoran's view, Sakura was afraid to speak because her voice could not be trusted at the moment. But she had to get her words out!

"Li, you're wrong." Taking one long ragged breath to ready herself, she forged ahead. "Mom died when I was very young, and I don't remember much about her, but Dad, my brother, Touya, and I continued our life as a happy family."

_So this is what they meant. I had no idea. _"I'm sorry for your loss, but at least you only lost your mother." He spoke softly, but his eyes widened slightly when her head shook to the side slowly. Syaoran followed her steady gaze to three engraved headstones. His eyes widened and the realization of it all hit him like a cold slap across the cheek, a feeling he knew all too well.

The engravings read "Fujitaka Kinomoto, Nadeshiko Kinomoto and Touya Kinomoto" in black print. They must have been her family.

"We never forgot about mom as her pictures were everywhere in the house. She was a model, you know. We were a close knit family up until a year ago, that was." She took another deep, long, shaky breath before continuing on with her story. Syaoran noticed how painful it was for her to retell this part of her life, but he listened without objection.

"A year ago, my brother and dad were going away for the weekend for a "father-son retreat" as they had put it. They were willing to take me with them, but I declined the offer. If I went with them, it wouldn't have been the same. They left on a Friday and were going to come back home on Sunday, just in time for dinner that I was preparing. It was on Sunday that I received a phone call. My brother and dad had made it safely to their skiing resort, but on the way back they had a car accident."

"They were hit by a car about two miles from the house and were taken to the hospital to survive for only a few days. When it was clear the situation was not progressing for the better as I had hoped, the decision to take them off the respirator was made. I was at the hospital the entire time just waiting. It was all I could do for them, and it turned out to be nothing. I killed them when I made that decision; I murdered the last of my family."

Syaoran was waiting for a full on river of tears, but they never came. He just watched the female in silence as she stared up at the starry sky. Nothing was said for a while and neither person moved a muscle, afraid of disrupting the tranquility of the night. They sat in an understanding silence, each respecting the others losses.

"If not for Tomoyo, I would still be in my room shut off from the outside world; I would still be in the dark. I really do know what you're going through, but you can't stay depressed and angry forever. You have to live for your parents and for the people around you. Please, I'm begging you, stop trying to take revenge on that man for their deaths and live life. Please." Sakura allowed her plea to linger in the air and in his mind without adding anything else onto her statement. You could lead a horse to water, but you couldn't make him drink; however, she was hoping that Syaoran was dying of thirst.

All of a sudden, Sakura sneezed and disrupted the pensive atmosphere. Cursing herself as she rubbed her nose, she realized that Syaoran was watching her. "Li?"

"I never would have guessed that you could have suffered this much. I'm sorry for what I said earlier. Had I known about this, I never would have treated you that way."

"Well, it isn't something that you broadcast to other people. I hate it when they give you that sympathetic look, and I already know that you do too." Sakura sneezed once again and shivered slightly. Tomoyo told her that she should wear a light jacket, but she was wrong. It would have been smarter to check the news on the television instead.

Syaoran shook his head disapprovingly, held his hand out for her to grab and helped her stand. With the courtesy of a gentleman – something his mother had always stressed – he took off his large, jean jacket and placed it around the shoulders of a surprised Sakura.

"Wear that so you don't get sick." He almost smiled when she chirped out a small "thank you" and nodded her head, a slight pink tink masking her cheeks. "Let's get you home." Syaoran was satisfied with Sakura's head nod and began walking towards the cemetery gate.

"Um, Li, can we make a pit stop on the way home?" Syaoran stopped walking as her inquiry met the crisp, night air. "Where would that be?"

* * *

Syaoran watched Sakura as she kneeled down beside the pond and traced her finger through the cold water, causing ripples to emerge. He didn't understand why she enjoyed the park so much, but he also didn't understand why he enjoyed _watching_ her enjoy the park so much. 

Sakura was such a child that the simplest things amused and captivated her. He let his ears take in the sound of her jovial laughter, and he couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face. When he was with Sakura, he felt like a giant, heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Sakura turned her head to look at Syaoran while still in her crouched position. "Hey, Li, the water feels –" Sakura took in a sharp breath and held it unconsciously. _Li… you're smiling. _

"With your eyes big like that and your mouth opened wide, you look like a fish." Syaoran laughed freely and expected an indignant cry from Sakura. When the expected reaction was not received, he took the time to examine the face of his friend. Her eyes were filled with raw emotion, and they gave the appearance that they were about to shed tears. Had his comment affected her this much? "Ah – Well, I didn't mean … to … Kinomoto?"

She stood to her feet gracefully and smiled at Syaoran through teary eyes. "You finally smiled – a true, genuine smile. I'm so happy!" Before he could realize what was happening, Sakura was coming at him full speed ahead. He caught her in his arms, and they fell backwards to the ground. "Hey! Kinomoto! What is wrong with you?"

Sakura just smiled in return and wiped her eyes of joyful tears. This whole "date" had caused her to ride an emotional rollercoaster up and down, left and right and back and forth, but she didn't care since this was the end result.

"Li, I couldn't say this before at the cemetery, but," Syaoran stared at her with a fading smile. Now what could it be? "I will always be here for you to help you out of the darkness like Tomoyo did for me. I-I want you to be happy; I want to see you smile and laugh."

Syaoran sighed defeated. "You sure are stubborn aren't you?" Sakura's hopeful smile fell from her face, and she pulled herself off of Syaoran disheartened. Sitting up himself, Syaoran rested his elbows on his knees and folded his forearms with one on top of the other with his eyes trained on the pond before him. "I guess … I could give it a try. After all, if you can do it in a year, I should be able to do it after all this time."

He didn't know what happened to him, but when Sakura smiled after his declaration, an unfamiliar sensation filled his stomach, and his heartbeat became irregular. To top it all off, his face felt strangely heated. Why was he blushing? The smile on Sakura's face was no different than any other time – no, it _was_ slightly different: more cheerful.

The moonlight cascading down upon her face did not help him either, for it only made her angelic features shine beautifully in contrast to the dark night. It was as if there were a light surrounding her even in darkness. No, she _was_ the light; she was _his_ light, and he would never let it go out. For her, just for her happiness, he would forget about his revenge. Maybe he really would find happiness after doing so.

* * *

"C'mon Kero-chan, T-Angel, we should get out of here and leave them alone." Rika spoke sternly to her two friends. Syaoran and Sakura's "date" was actually turning into a date by her standards. She wasn't really surprised; she figured that Sakura had been falling for him and now – after witnessing the scene before her – she was thinking the same thing about Li. _He might actually like our little Sakura._

She noticed that Chiharu and Tomoyo were still crouched on the ground and peeping through a bush to catch a glimpse of their precious, auburn-haired, female friend and their chestnut-topped, male friend. After watching the scene before them, they decided that Syaoran could be taken off their hit-list, figuratively speaking.

"Let's go, you two." Rika hissed silently but menacingly and grabbed them each by their ears before dragging them away from the couple.

"Sheesh and it was just getting good, Teacher's Pet." Chiharu pouted and groaned after they had made it back to the main streets. "

I'm just glad that Syaoran apologized and everything is back to normal. By the way, did you see her smile?" At Rika's statement, the two remaining girls nodded in response.

"Yeah, I wonder what they were talking about to make her smile like that?" Chiharu pondered absentmindedly the various conversations that could lead to Sakura smiling like that. The only thing she could think of was sweets.

"That smile, the one we just witnessed, was a pre-accident, Sakura smile. It was just like before her dad and brother died." Tomoyo allowed her words to lay heavy in the air for the girls to mull over in their minds.

Staring up at the dark night sky illuminated by the full moon, she relished in the beauty of the dark, shadowed clouds outlined by white moonlight. It was a sight to behold. "I knew Syaoran Li could do it." She murmured quietly to herself for only her ears to perceive.

The last thing she saw in the night sky was the blinking red lights of an airplane soon to land. It irked her that the plane should dare disrupt such peace and serenity, but there was something else about it. Her gut was telling her a bad wind was about to start blowing.

* * *

Suitcase in hand, she exited the airport with a confident walk as always. "I'm here, Syaoran." Looking down at the map in their hand, she turned left and began strolling down the sidewalk towards her destination, an extremely fierce and determined look masking her beautiful face.

* * *

**A/N: Good? Bad? Give me some feedback please? Positive or negative, but be kind with your negatives. I'm a very sensitive person. lol Well I updated rather quickly for me, huh? And this chapter's insanely long (for me at least)! **

**PLEASE READ BELOW TEXT **

**I'm worried that I haven't formed the relationship between Syaoran and Sakura in the best way. Are you readers getting the sense that they like each other and did I make the transition smoothly enough? ****I've been worrying about this for a while now. I'm not sure if I did it right.****Critic welcome, this being my first fic and all, it will help me with any future stories I intend to write. I haven't taken the time to go back and read my story through again, but since I wrote it, I will have things in my mind that weren't written out for you to see and won't evaluate it properly. It's better to get an outsider's opinion, so if you could tell me yours, it would be greatly appreciated. Suggestions welcome. Feel free to tell me whether my "relationship forming" techniques are a little sketchy and need improvement, or you can tell me the opposite. Just tell me something, please?  
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** If you didn't understand the jumbled mess above, still leave a review to tell me what you thought of the chapter.  
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** PS - I just enabled the Anonymous review, if any non-members want to review as well. (I didn't even know it was disabled to begin with, sorry)**

**See You Next Chapter,**

**RadiantSun**

** Sorry for the extremely long A/N, but thank you for reading it ... if you read it.**

**I LOVE ALL MY REVIEWERS! YOU ARE THE WIND THAT KEEPS MY "WRITING FIRE" IGNITED AND BURNING.  
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	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_Chapter 10_

**The Night Misunderstands  
**

Sakura and Tomoyo were sitting in a local sweet shop eating cake and attempting to have a good time. Sakura, despite the sweet, confectionary concoction sitting before her covered in icing and strawberries, was not very happy. Tomoyo had tried to cheer her up from what they had just witnessed, but when she, herself, was infuriated, the job was a complicated one to maneuver.

"Sheesh! I can't believe him!" Tomoyo ranted angrily after realizing that Sakura was not going to smile anytime soon. "Going around with some woman like that when he already has you!"

Sakura's cheeks turned pink from indignation at the suggestion, "Tomoyo, we weren't together or anything! We're just friends!"

Sakura waved a dismissive hand and smiled. She knew she was just using that reason as a cover-up for what she really felt. She was just too embarrassed now to tell Tomoyo that she really had thought she liked Li more than a friend.

It had been three days since Sakura had last been in contact with Syaoran, and it was a giant shock to see him walking around with another female like she and Tomoyo did a couple hours ago. Now she knew why he hadn't been talking to her. He had found him someone important and was spending time with her.

Sakura couldn't blame him; this girl was very pretty with her long, black hair and confident walk. She wasn't shy at all, and her red eyes proclaimed this to the world with their stare of boldness. Basically, she was everything Sakura wasn't and more.

She glared pointedly down at the cake she had just taken a bite out of. Why did it have to be so sweet when she was feeling so bitter?!

* * *

"Awwww! These pictures are just too adorable! Say, who is the girl with the auburn hair sleeping beside you on the couch?" 

"GIVE ME THOSE!" Syaoran bellowed angrily as he tried to snatch the photos of him and Sakura out of the black-haired girls clutches. He didn't even want to know how she found them.

Seriously, three days ago he wasn't expecting to come face to face with his female cousin, Meiling Li, on his front porch surrounded by luggage. Needless to say, it was quite a shock.

_Syaoran walked home with hands shoved deep inside his pockets and mind deep in thought. He was definitely going to forget about his revenge for Sakura and his parents. He had known all along – somewhere in the back of his mind – that his parents would not want him risking his life just to avenge their deaths._

_When Sakura had spoken to him, it was as if light had been allowed to finally shine on a room ridden with cobwebs and dust, having not seen the light of day in so long._

_He still didn't know how such a fragile girl as Sakura had managed to smile after a year when it had taken him three just to realize everything he had been doing up until now was not what he should have been. But then that would make Sakura tougher than he was, or something like that._

_He scratched his head and let out a giant breath of air. He clenched his fist in concentration after bringing it out of his pocket. "Okay, from today onward, I'm going to change myself for the better and forget about revenge."_

_His determination slowly ebbed away like the waves washing up on the beach, taking the sand steadily away as it drifted back out to sea. Then what was he supposed to do? He was like a lost puppy if he had nothing compelling him everyday. Usually, all his thoughts revolved around giving his parent's murderer what he deserved, but Sakura had changed his goal._

_Maybe he could get a job? Even though he had been living off of the money his parent's had left him with, earning his own cash would allow him to – to – gah! He didn't know what! He was just too confused now, but there were two things he was positive he was going to do once he got back._

_He unlocked his front door and immediately took off his long, black trench coat. Wrapping it up so that it was just a bundle of dark cloth, he started a fire in his fireplace and allowed his faithful jacket to burn as well. Snatching the notorious white envelope from his room, he tossed it into the fire; he wouldn't need it anymore. This would seal his commitment!_

_Feeling proud of his self as he watched the flames crackle before his eyes, lapping at the new fabric and paper fuel contently, Syaoran knew he only had one last thing to do._

_Turning slowly on his heal, he narrowed his eyes as his feet carried him to his room where his sword was leaning against the wall in the corner. Sighing heavily, he picked the metal weapon up with both hands and entered into his closet. There in the back of his clothes was a cabinet-like, wooden box with two small doors opening outward by a gentle pull of the handles._

_Syaoran placed his faithful sword gingerly inside its hollow protection and clamped the miniature doors shut without any force at all. It was done._

_Emerging from his closet with a frown, he had to hope he was doing the right thing. He shook away all his doubts when Sakura's image crossed his mind. "That girl … what is she doing to me?"_

_The ringing doorbell blew away his thoughts of Sakura, and his eyes instinctively moved to the clock. Who would ring his house at midnight?_

_He opened his front door after traveling through his house to reach it, and his mouth fell agape. He wanted to kick the part of his brain that thought it was Sakura._

_"Syaoran!!!! I told you that I would come if you didn't return my phone calls!!!" _Meiling _roared as she pounced on Syaoran, hands wrapped around his neck. She shook him half angrily, half playfully, but he didn't care her reasons for strangling him. He just wanted her to stop!_

_"Mie – ling, s-top," was all Syaoran managed to choke out, but she got the message and almost freaked out when she saw how blue her cousin's face had become._

_"He he – oops – he he." Meiling laughed nervously as he glared menacingly at her._

_"And what's all this about 'not returning phone calls,' huh?" Syaoran had returned many of her calls because Sakura had made him, so what was she babbling about._

_"Tisk, tisk, Syaoran. What about my recent calls?"_

_"Who says I wasn't going to call you?" Syaoran fired back._

_Meiling was becoming visible frustrated. "Are you saying you didn't want me to come visit you then!?!"_

_Syaoran's laughter was uneasy and he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Um … that's not what I meant … Meiling."_

_Meiling_ _chose that time to stare at him oddly as if she was not meeting with someone she had known all her life. The truth was that the boy she saw in front of her was not what she had been expecting to see. She was worried about him, so she decided to come and check up on him._

_She knew that he was always depressed and angry all the time, so she was going to stomp some sense into his brain and tell him to move on. It had been three years since his parents died and his time for depression had ended a long time ago._

_That was why it was odd to hear him laugh and joke with her. She had to admit that she was jealous of whatever did this because she had wanted to save Syaoran herself._

_Knocking herself out of her thoughts, Meiling looked over her shoulder at the luggage outside on the front porch, "Will you be a doll and bring my things inside for me. I'm turning in for the night; have fun sleeping on the couch, Syaoran."_

_She took off with a laugh and dove into the Syaoran's bed after finding his room through a hasty search. Crawling under the covers, she fell asleep instantly while her cousin brought her bags inside the house reluctantly while muttering curses under his breath until he laid himself on the couch with a pillow and small blanket for comfort._

"Aww! Does wittle Syaoran have a girlfwend?" Meiling talked in a tone usually reserved for small infants and pinched her cousin's reddening face.

"N-No! She's just a friend! Give me the dang pictures, Meiling!" Syaoran finally retrieved the photos from Melin's clutches. His heart was pounding and his face was very hot, but Sakura _wasn't_ his girlfriend. That had been the truth, but a small corner of his heart wanted to protest the solid fact. He pushed it away with his entire mind and stared angrily at his cousin.

Now all he needed was for his face to slowly return to its normal color.

"Gee, Syaoran, no need to yell," Meiling smiled slyly, agreeing to let the topic slide … for now, "So is there anything else left in this town that you haven't shown me yet?"

Syaoran, who had calmed down almost to the normal level, racked his brain for anything he had forgotten to show Meiling. He had been forced by her to become a tour guide and lead her around town. He hadn't even had the time to speak with Sakura since Meiling arrived because she kept him so busy! It was starting to get annoying, but he wouldn't tell Meiling that or she might decide to use him as a punching bag. It wasn't that she was stronger than him; it was that he was raised to never hit a girl.

He snapped his fingers suddenly as the light bulb went off in his head. He could introduce Meiling to Sakura and Tomoyo!

"I guess I can introduce you to some friends of mine," Syaoran scratched his chin, still deciding if the idea was good or not. He couldn't see the harm in it, though, and set his mind to it.

"Y-Your friends? Why didn't you do that the first day I was here, idiot!" Meiling was surprised at first but managed to cover any trace of it up. She hadn't expected for Syaoran to have come this far when she arrived. She figured that he was still the same as he was three years ago, and she was prepared for the task of washing away three years time of anger and depression.

How could all of it have been washed away already, and who was it that did the cleaning? She wanted badly to find out so she could give them her gratitude. She also wanted to yell at them for doing her job, and deep down she couldn't stop the slight twinge of jealousy from forming. She had wanted to help her cousin overcome his difficult time.

Whoever this person was, they were amazing. It used to be impossible to get Syaoran to even crack a smile, and now he was laughing and holding amiable conversations and smiling and – well, he was happy.

* * *

Sakura was not happy. All her sadness had left her, but she was angry now. Here she had been thinking that she had a chance with Syaoran, and he ended up finding him another girl just like that. 

It was she who helped him out of his depression; it was she who got him to answer phones and leave the house without wearing his black trench coat, and it was she he cast to the side as soon as he received his thorough cleaning which made him shine brightly and attract people's attention.

_Namely members of the opposite sex,_ Sakura thought with disdain. Syaoran had been handsome the first time she met him out in the woods when his sword was pointed dangerously at her head, but he had come a very long way since then. His eyes were so entrancing, his hair so unruly and naturally uncombed-looking no matter how many times he ran a brush or hand through it, and his smile so captivating that it had so hold over her. It was no wonder she had grown to like him more than a friend without acknowledging the gradual change inside her mind.

It was like he had the whole package: handsome looks, intelligent brains and a great personality. Now she knew she was incorrect. Syaoran wasn't the sweet, caring gentleman she thought he was; he was a player and had played her heart for a fool.

She hadn't really expected him to give thanks to her after everything she did for him; she had hoped, but she figured it wouldn't happen. She had always wanted to repay Tomoyo back for what she did for her, but Sakura was never able to fully pay off the debt with interest like she wanted.

When she found out that Syaoran was just like her, she guessed that she was just trying to reciprocate the kind and caring action of her best friend but with a bit less force. (Tomoyo had flipped Sakura's mattress in a spurt of adrenaline and thrown her into the shower, pajama, sheets and all.)

_Wait,_ Sakura thought unhappily, _I was helping him even before I found out about his parents._

She was desperately searching for a reason for why she had gone to such great lengths to save a man she _didn't_ have _feelings_ directed, and was dismayed to see her first explanation go down the drain. Tomoyo could say it all she wanted, but the truth was that she _did not_ like Sya – Li like that.

She had also gotten into the bad habit of calling him by his first name in her mind. Slapping her head in frustration and earning a puzzled look from Tomoyo, which she warded off with a goofy smile, inspiration suddenly struck.

She gasped as the heinous idea flashed across her brain. _What if the whole thing about his parents was a lie? What if he found out about my past and used it to lure me to get closer to him because he was a stalker? What if he did something to me that first night where I crashed at his house without fully knowing him to make me feel like this now?_

_"Aren't you worried about being in my house when you barely know me?" Syaoran said slowly._

_"Should I be?" Sakura answered with a quirked eyebrow._

_"Well aren't you worried I might harm you? I do have a sword."_

_"I trust you Li. Something about you … makes me feel relaxed. I'm not scared with you … or of you."_

Sakura sighed. What she had said that night had been true, and it was still true today. She shook her head and berated herself for thinking such idiotic thoughts. No one – not even Syaoran – would lie about something like that. Her ability to think so badly of him made her angry at herself.

It was her fault for taking Syaoran's friendship for something it wasn't and for (_supposedly)_ growing to like him more than a friend – from what _Tomoyo_ kept saying and implying with her glances of pity, of course. She would just have to be happy for him as a friend and get over herself because she had begun to think that Syaoran liked her as well.

She gave one muffled, short, forced laugh. This was turning out to be more and more like what she believed to be her first crush. At least then she had her brother and father to comfort her even though Touya's idea of comfort, to Sakura's dismay, was beating up the guy. That time in her life seemed so long ago; five years was a more precise estimate.

It had been her senior year in high school and the senior prom was coming up soon. Sakura finally got up enough nerve to ask the guy she liked out but was crestfallen when he rejected her by using an extremely poor excuse. He didn't even have the decency to say no; he had to lie by saying he was taking his mom to go shopping for socks the same time as the prom.

When she thought about it now, she regretted not slapping him on the spot when he gave her an indirect "no," but she was too much of a coward without a backbone strong enough to stand up for herself. She wished she wouldn't have cared so much about what others thought about her in high school, but she was just too sensitive to criticism and too kind for her own good back then.

She couldn't say truthfully that she had done a full 360 turnaround since that time, but she could say that she had progressed into a more outgoing person than back then.

And now, all her "outgoing-ness" had led her to helping someone in need which now led her to drink from the cup of jealousy and sit in the seat of rage. Syaoran was so going to get a full blast of just how outgoing she really could be.

Clenching her fists, Sakura shook her head disappointedly. It had been less than five minutes, and she was already breaking her promise to just be happy for him.

* * *

Tomoyo watched her troubled friend from across the room and saw the myriad of emotions playing out in her eyes like a movie theater showed their films on the big screen. For as long as she had known Sakura, which was since elementary school, Tomoyo had always been able to read her friend like a book via her emerald eyes. 

Syaoran, however, was harder to decipher because she hadn't known him all her life like Sakura. He kept his true feelings hidden – or at least tried to. Tomoyo had been so sure that the chestnut haired, amber eyed male harbored feelings for her best friend. She had always prided herself in being able to read people's emotions and actions pretty well, but this was one of her worst screw-ups ever.

Syaoran had chosen another girl! He didn't pick Sakura at all like she thought he would. Tomoyo knew Sakura had unconsciously fallen for Li even though the girl's pride would never let her admit it now they had witnessed Syaoran walking about the town with another woman.

Maybe it wasn't what it seemed like though. Tomoyo didn't remember those two holding hands or anything, so they could have been old friends out for a walk. That must have been it because she had never failed this badly about someone's feelings for another. Her intuition as a woman was exceptional!

That was it! She was going to get to the bottom of this right now! Marching over to the door, she flung it open and power walked down the street at high speed to Syaoran Li's house.

* * *

"Come on, Meiling, I don't have all day," Syaoran called impatiently from the front door. What was it with women and their inability to leave the house without a full face of make-up and the "perfect outfit" for the occasion? 

There was a loud, frantic knocking on his front door, and he wrapped his fingers around the doorknob curiously before swinging it open. Where he thought Sakura would be standing stood a frazzled Tomoyo instead.

"Tomoyo? What are you doing here?" Syaoran asked with an eyebrow raised. Tomoyo finished panting from her trek to his house and opened her mouth to speak.

"Listen, I have a quest –" Tomoyo was interrupted by a voice coming from somewhere inside the house, a female voice.

"Syaoran, who is it?" Meiling inquired innocently as she walked into view from around the corner. Tomoyo's voice fell open at the sight of the women she had seen walking around town with Syaoran the other day.

"You pig!" Tomoyo launched her angry words and her furious hands tightened around the handle of her purse. She didn't want it to fly out of her hands because the next moment she was beating him repeatedly with it.

* * *

"Tomoyo?" Sakura's sing-song voice called through the house to locate her friend and dissuade any worries about her feeling depressed about Syaoran's new girlfriend. She remembered hearing the door slam and now her friend was missing. It was odd for Tomoyo to up and leave without telling her, so what could have been so important for her sudden absence? 

Dropping the fake smile her lips were forming (her face was beginning to hurt), Sakura filed out of the door with a frown to search for her best friend.

* * *

"So that was why you decided to pulverize me. What do you have in that thing anyway?" Syaoran gestured to Tomoyo's now inanimate purse sitting innocently on the coffee table of his living room. It was a good thing for him that he knew how to defend himself, but a few of her mad swings made contact with different parts of his body.

Meiling, Tomoyo and Syaoran were all seated on the couch trying to iron out the wrinkles of misunderstanding. Tomoyo had just explained to the other two her reasons for barging into the house uninvited and attacking Li.

"Oh, just the normal things." Tomoyo waved a dismissive hand about the mysterious contents of her pocketbook.

"So wait, let me get this straight. You and this Sakura girl thought that Syaoran and I were a – a – couple?" Meiling was succumbing to her laughter near the end of her declaration.

"Yes, that's correct." Tomoyo smiled genuinely, and both Syaoran and Meiling burst into uncontrolled laughter at the mere thought.

"Aside from us being engaged to marry when we were younger, that's the closest our relationship has ever remotely come close to being like that." At the distressed look on Tomoyo's face, Meiling decided to clean up her statement a bit. "Oh, don't worry. We got out of that arrangement a long time ago when we found out exactly what our parents were proposing. You see, we were very young when this idea was concocted."

Tomoyo still looked uneasy so Meiling spoke her next words very slowly and confidently, "I have a boyfriend." Tomoyo nodded slowly and smiled, all her worries evaporated.

"Li, I think you need to tell Sakura that Meiling is just your cousin. She isn't very cheerful right now after seeing you two walking together."

"Wait, she's jealous?" He asked incredulously, hardly believing what he was hearing. Tomoyo bit her lip at Syaoran's question. She didn't know if she should tell him or not. She decided to leave it up to Sakura whether she informed Syaoran of her true feelings or not.

"You better find her before she finds you is all I can say." Tomoyo was delighted with her answer and the priceless look of confusion and worry on Li's face.

"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked warily, realizing he had never really seen Sakura when she was angry.

Tomoyo sighed, grabbed him by the ear and drug him towards his front door. Pushing him through the threshold, she told him not to come back unless he'd patched things up with Sakura.

She slammed the door in his face just as he was beginning to oppose her authority and locked it. Ignoring his fists beating angrily against the wooden surface of the door and his cries of "this is my house; you can't do this to me," Tomoyo returned to the living room, sat down gracefully and folded her hands in her lap innocently.

Meiling eyed her with a wide, shocked gaze, calmed down after a few moments and asked the question she had been dying to have answered the entire conversation. "Who is 'Sakura', anyway?"

Tomoyo looked at her in surprise. "You mean he didn't tell you about her?"

Meiling could sense the anger bubbling just beneath the surface of her words and hastily furthered the conversation to keep her from attacking Syaoran, whose beatings on the door had now reduced to tired, defeated knocks every other minute.

"Well, we were just going to go meet all his friends right now. I guess I would have met her then," Meiling paused, unsure if Tomoyo was his friend or not because of the way she greeted him earlier, "and you as well."

Tomoyo nodded, but she still wasn't smiling. "Well, Sakura is – well, they're – hmm, they're close friends." Tomoyo couldn't decide how best to describe the "Li/Kinomoto" relationship.

Meiling, sensing her confused reluctance to divulge the level of her cousin and this Sakura's relationship, retrieved a photo from Syaoran's room to try her hand at answering her own question.

"Who is this girl?" Meiling gestured to the auburn-haired female sleeping beside Syaoran on an unknown couch after returning from her scavenger hunt through her cousin's now-dirty room. She would apologize for that later.

Tomoyo let out a squeal of excitement, having been reacquainted with one of the most treasured photos she had ever taken. "That would be Sakura! Aren't they adorable?"

Meiling nodded slowly, her full attention on the picture of the sleeping girl. She looked to Syaoran's face; his face was so peaceful, and he didn't seem plagued with nightmares.

"So does my cousin like this Sakura … um," Meiling paused, prompting for a last name.

"Kinomoto, Sakura Kinomoto, and as for Li liking her, I have my suspicions." Tomoyo spoke in a business-like manner, her posture perfect as she sat on the couch, but the wide smile across her lips and eccentric glint in her eyes told a different story rather than refinement, her pride bleeding subtly through her lips and eyes. She was never wrong about these kinds of things.

* * *

"Where could that girl have gone off to?" He had checked her house, but she hadn't been present and all the lights were off. He was traveling around via the sidewalk to locate Sakura somewhere in the town. 

Syaoran, for some odd reason, couldn't stop the swelling pride within in from growing. Sakura had been jealous when she thought about him being with someone. Hmm, maybe he could pretend he and Melin were together (if his cousin consented) to see if Sakura wanted to be in his cousin's place in a real relationship.

Syaoran shook his head. That was too cruel a way to go about discovering the truth. Still, she had been jealous, but if she had been jealous, she had been angry. His smile dropped for the first time after leaving Sakura's apartment. She was probably _still _angry.

As if on cue, he saw the back of her head exit an electronics store and walk in the opposite direction of where he was standing idle. He began to walk and called out her name. She didn't respond so he called after her louder. She still made no inclination of hearing him, so he hastened his walk into a power walk.

Just as he was ten feet away from her and ready to call her name out again, Sakura smiled and linked arms with a man walking down the street as if she knew him. Syaoran froze; he was so shocked he couldn't move. The crowds of people had to separate in half to pass by the one stationary male in the center of the walk.

He didn't even hear the rude comments or see the rude gestures of the passer-bys. All he saw was Sakura smiling happily at another man, and all he heard was the sound of her cheerful laughter directed at a male that wasn't him.

_What is going on …?_ _Why is Sakura … on a date … with some guy? _

Syaoran watched helplessly as the pair turned the corner and disappeared from his line of vision. He slowly walked home with his hands stuffed deep in his pockets. Sakura hadn't been jealous at all. Tomoyo was a liar.

* * *

Tomoyo and Meiling were chatting contentedly about the subject of fashion when the doorbell of Syaoran's home rang once. Smiling, both believing they knew which couple was hidden behind the wooden cover, went to answer the door. 

"Who is it?" Tomoyo asked in a sing-song voice even though she already knew who was there.

"It's me. Let me in," Syaoran said quietly.

Tomoyo frowned, but Meiling beat her to the punch. "You mean to tell me after all this time, you still didn't make up with Sakura? What did you go out and do the entire time? You are such an idiot!"

Syaoran didn't respond, so Tomoyo picked up the conversation. "I told you that we aren't letting you back inside until you have Sakura with you. Just turn right around and go back to get her. Geez, do women have to tell men how to do everything?"

Tomoyo's exasperated voice and Meiling's tired sigh filled the room. Still, Syaoran did not respond.

Meiling, worried about her cousin's sudden muteness, addressed him nervously. "Syaoran … is something wrong?"

Tomoyo had sensed it as well. He wasn't banging on the door angrily or arguing heatedly with them. This was a bad omen.

After exchanging uneasy glances, they quickly unlocked the door and pulled it back slowly. They were astonished to see that Syaoran wasn't even there.

Before the agitation of being walked out on could reach the surface of their minds, the back door slammed shut and hasty footsteps were heard. Then Syaoran's door was jerked open and forced closed with a loud boom.

Both girls fled from their position by the front door and began to bombard Syaoran's door with dainty, fisted hands.

"Syaoran Li! You get your butt out here this instant and go find Sakura Kinomoto! Even if you don't want to make up with her, I want to meet the girl! And Tomoyo," Meiling rounded suddenly on her newest friend, "how could you forget to lock the back door?!"

"It's not my fault! I didn't even know he had one. Anyway, Syaoran, why don't you act like a man and deal with your problems?!"

Syaoran couldn't take anymore of their obnoxious voices. "Because," he began in a bellow of bubbling rage, "my problem is out on a date with another man!"

Tomoyo and Meiling didn't speak after that. They were running his sentence over and over in their head to make sense of it all.

_My problem is out on a date with another man_

_My problem … on a date … another man_

_Problem … date … another man_

It clicked for both girls at the same time, and their eyes widened.

"SAKURA'S ON A DATE WITH ANOTHER GUY!?!"

* * *

**A/N: Mwhahahahaha! This is fun! Weeeeeee! Sorry, I'm a tad hyper at the moment. It might have something to do with the hot fudge sundae pop tarts I ate, but who knows? Ha ha.****Originally, I was going to continue and make this chapter longer, but I didn't feel like it and decided to put the rest in the next chapter. (I haven't typed that part yet, but I know exactly what is going to happen.) Anyway, thanks for the advice on the dilemma I had last chapter in my A/N. It helped so thank you everyone!**

**I can't believe I didn't update AT ALL in July! That's horrible! And it's not going to get any better with school starting. I'm going to be swamped this first semester so I apologize in advanced. I'm going to be having _all_ honors classes when the most you're allowed to have is 3 out of the 4 classes be honors level. I've gotten screwed over, I tell you! On top of that, I'll have tennis practice daily _and_ freaking homework! So. Much. Stress. And I still haven't finished my summer English project!!! _And_ I'm going to the beach this Saturday through the next Friday without my laptop to work on my project with because it's freakin' crashed on me! Plus, our internet wasn't working properly for a while and it kept going off and staying off for hours at a time! (Thankfully, the internet is fixed now.) Ah, it feels good to vent.  
**

**Well, please review and thank you for all the reviews I've received! It means a lot to me! **

**See You Next Chapter (hopefully, if i survive everything in the paragraph above),**

**RadiantSun**

**  
**


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

Chapter 11

**The Sun Realizes  
**

"This is your initiation job. If you do this right, you will become an official member of Boss's business. Do you understand?" Redan glared intensely at the wall while holding the telephone receiver in his rough, large hands which had taken part in more illegal activities than could be counted or remembered.

His hand was on a little bit of everything in the "under-the-table" market, on his boss' orders of course. He was working his way slowly up the promotional line to becoming the right hand man in his line of profession.

Syaoran and his search for revenge had been a hobby to him at first, a bit of fun on the side where he could engage in combat and perfect his swordsmanship. During their last encounter, however, he was planning on finishing the game with the young man and erasing the name Syaoran Li from the world.

Since he was no longer the heir to Li Corporation since the company had been seized by Redan's boss, there would have been no wide-spread panic on the news of the man's death, and the need to apprehend the criminal would not be as great as if he was a famous figure. He had almost completed the job of getting rid of Syaoran until that auburn-haired chick had once again caused him to suffer another indignation.

She attacked him and managed to free Li from his stead-fast hold. His hatred for that girl was almost as great as for Syaoran, but it was a good thing that they were friends with each other. It was easier to kill two birds with one stone, but it was more sadistically satisfying for one bird to be the downfall of the other.

Now the need to get rid of them was even greater. He had confessed to killing Syaoran's parents, and he couldn't let them get away unscratched. If they blabbed to the police, he knew he could be tried for the murder since it was Boss who was accused the first time. He was the actual perpetrator of the crime, but if they just based their accusation on something he said without having any evidence other than what they heard, he would be safe.

However, in addition to being subjected to the will of a jury, he didn't need to have the cops snooping around his place because his house's contents alone could land him behind bars for possession of illegal substances and stolen devices. He would just have to take care of the problem before it posed a real threat to his safety.

"_I understand quite clearly, sir. I will make you proud by completing this job." _The voice on the other end of the telephone spoke in response to Redan's inquiry, a deep, steady voice possessed by a young man in his early twenties.

"Let's hope so," Redan paused, "son."

* * *

"I still can't get over the fact that it was you! Are you sure it's okay to stay with me? You weren't waiting for someone, were you?" 

"No, my schedule is completely open for today," he said smoothly, "unless, of course, you would like to fill it. We haven't had a chance to talk since we graduated."

Sakura smiled in agreement, "Yeah, what has it been," she paused for a hasty calculation, "five years now? Yeah, five long years. And then we just meet up on the street in a freak meeting."

"I prefer the word kidnapping."

Sakura flushed pink at his playful accusation. "Yeah, about that, I'd like to apologize," she smiled sheepishly, "I was just trying to get away from this guy because I didn't feel like talking to him."

When she had heard Syaoran calling her name, she had wanted so badly to turn around and greet him. Then her stomach lurched just as she was about to turn around and a vision of the black haired, red-eyed, confident, young woman flashed in her mind and her ephemeral resolve to be glad for their relationship faded away quickly like a crumbling building ready to be demolished. She wasn't ready to face him! The thought itself of looking into his captivating eyes that now only looked at someone other than her only saddened her further.

She had picked up her speed and latched arms with the first male she saw that wasn't standing with another female. Smiling like he had been waiting for her, she laughed happily and asked if he would walk with her a ways as a favor. The guy played along and after they turned the corner, Sakura stopped and peeked around to see if Syaoran had stopped following her. The devastated look on his handsome face tugged at her heart strings, but she was prevented from running up to him and hugging him by the sound of a clearing throat behind her.

When she twirled around and got a good look at him, she found him very familiar. It clicked suddenly, and she realized it was her old high school crush from those many years ago. Their awkward and abrupt reunion led to a lunch together so they could catch up on old times and talk. After replaying the days events in her head, she felt as if she owed her friend an explanation.

"I want to tell you that there is a method behind my madness, Yakushi." They shared a short laugh before Sakura continued. "You see, there was this guy – you may or may not have noticed him – that was trying to get my attention, but I didn't want to talk with him at the moment so I tried to make it seem like I was meeting with someone so he wouldn't bother me. I think it might have worked a little to well though," Sakura said, recalling the crestfallen expression on Syaoran's face. It wasn't like he did anything wrong; she decided to go apologize to him after her mini high school reunion was completed.

"Sakura, I never pictured you to be so popular with the guys. I wish I would have been able to accept your invitation to the prom when you asked my senior year, but my parents had some business to attend to that day and I had to stay home and watch the house."

Sakura faltered in her thoughts when that subject was brought up but recovered quickly.

"You said that you had to do something with your mom. Buying socks, if I remember correctly." She eyed him suspiciously, waiting for his response.

"Yeah," Yakushi began, "I was really bad at lying back then, wasn't I?"

He rubbed the back of his head from embarrassment, an action that sent her mind instantly to Syaoran and the way he sometimes rubbed the back of his head sheepishly in the same manner. He would also flash a goofy grin that would make Sakura feel all strange inside. It was amazing how she could always relate her thoughts to Syaoran in one way, shape or form.

Because she was so engrossed in her thoughts of Syaoran, she forgot to pursue the topic of the mysterious declination of her prom invitation during senior year. Yakushi was relieved with her sudden disinterest and didn't bother to question it. He decided to veer the conversation in another direction.

"So was the guy you were running from your boyfriend?"

Sakura's sweet tea almost greeted the questioner's face, but she managed to swallow before making it rain on him. Sakura slammed her palm on the table in frustration. "No! Why does everybody assume –"

"Ok, calm down, Sakura, I didn't know you were so offended by the idea," he spoke soothingly, sliding a gentle hand over her small hand in an act of kindness.

Sakura didn't notice the contact because her thoughts were too preoccupied with Syaoran again.

"Say, I was wondering, Sakura, would you like to give prom another chance?"

Sakura quirked her head absentmindedly to the side, unsure of what he was asking. Sensing her confusion, he rephrased his question. "Would you like to do something sometime with me? Maybe catch a movie or go to a restaurant or something?"

Sakura, envisioning Syaoran in her mind and his captivating smile, answered with a dreamy "sure" and he smiled in relief. "Meet me here tomorrow at six o'clock, will you?"

Sakura nodded her head and watched him leave. A few minutes went by before her body went rigid with shock and her eyes widened considerably. _Wait, did he just ask me out on a date!? Hooeeeeeee!_

* * *

_"Sakura," _Tomoyo sounded from the message machine,_ "I'm up at Syaoran's house and I just want to clarify some things. First of all, HOW CAN YOU BE ON A DATE WITHOUT TELLING ME? Who is this guy and why was I not informed? Am I your friend or not, geez, Sakura. _

"_Secondly, the deal with Syaoran was a mistake. She's his cousin and not his girlfriend. Anyway, when you get this message, you better call me back because we have some serious repairs to make. Talk to you later."_

Sakura replayed the message again to verify the information she received. She had somehow managed to meander home in her dazed state and now she was hit with this new bit of knowledge. While she had no idea what Tomoyo meant about a date, the fact flashed before her in neon green lights that she was his cousin.

Relief washed over her and a ten ton weight was lifted from her heart; she felt like singing. She was halfway to the telephone when all forms of vocal communication fell flat. She had a date, a date of all things!

Wait, how would Tomoyo have known about that? There was no way! Was her friend a psychic? Sakura continued quickly to the phone and proceeded to dial Tomoyo's cell phone, which she knew by heart and could call blindfolded.

"_About time, Sakura,"_ Tomoyo greeted her friend thanks to caller id.

"I have a problem," Sakura began, but Tomoyo countered.

"_Yeah, I have two; one won't come out of his room and the other is threatening to beat a certain friend of mine into the ground with her deadly karate moves. In other words watch your back."_

Sakura didn't know whether it was appropriate to laugh or cry at that statement. She decided to plow on with her own dilemma. "Tomoyo, I accidentally agreed to go on a date with this guy I went to high school with."

"_Is this the date you didn't tell me about?"_ Tomoyo said. "Actually, I don't know how you found out, considering Yakushi asked me not even an hour ago."

"_Honey, Syaoran came home and told us you were meeting someone. Wasn't that the date?"_

Sakura sighed unhappily, preparing herself for the long explanation, "Not quite. I decided to do something really stupid, Tomoyo. I linked arms with some random guy – who turned out to be someone I know - to stop Syaoran from following me because I wanted him to think I was on a date and leave me alone."

Tomoyo scoffed, _"It worked, all right."_

Sakura nodded, even though Tomoyo couldn't see, "I know, and now he thinks that and that's not right. To make matters worse, I said yes when Yakushi asked me out on an official date. I didn't even mean to agree; it just happened! I'm stuck, Tomoyo! What do I do?"

"_Hmm …"_ Tomoyo began ponderously, thinking hard on the best answer, _"if you don't want to go on a date with him, just call and cancel, saying your sick or something. Before you do that, however, you need to come up here and smooth things out with Syaoran. He's … upset."_

Sakura's stomach flipped. He was upset over this which meant he might care about her as more than a friend. Sakura agreed and placed the phone receiver back on the base. Snatching a coat from the rack beside the door, Sakura shut and locked it before heading towards Syaoran's house, a million thoughts racing through her mind and a thousand butterflies flapping in her stomach.

* * *

Tomoyo closed her cell and scouted the house for Meiling, warning her to keep her temper to a minimum since Sakura was on her way. Meiling agreed to "no physical abuse," but she refused to abide by "no verbal abuse." Tomoyo decided to stop haggling with her newest friend and informed her of the forming situation. 

"So Sakura Kinomoto, the girl my cousin obviously likes, accidentally agreed to go on a date with some guy she knows from high school. Wow, I haven't even met this girl and I'm already feeling like she isn't the brightest light bulb in the bunch."

Tomoyo conceded to Meiling's accusations; Sakura's wasn't always the smartest person she knew, but her innocence was what made her Sakura.

"Meiling, I've only known you for a day, almost, and I already know quite a lot about your personality. It doesn't take long to get to know someone," Tomoyo stated intelligently.

Meiling responded, "What does that have to do with anything, Tomoyo?"

"I was just making a point that it doesn't take long for someone to get to know someone else. Geez, don't be so critical." Tomoyo stuck her tongue out at Meiling and the raven-haired female reciprocated the action instantly.

They shared a giggle before remembering the situation that was currently present. It wasn't a time for fun and games whilst Syaoran was sulking in his room. With both their gazes directed to Syaoran's opaque door, not unlike his opaque heart, the two girls waited for Sakura's imminent arrival to set things right in the world, his world.

* * *

It was dark, but he wanted it so. If he wasn't feeling happy, he wasn't going to sit in a happy, lighted area; no, he was going to take refuge in the quiet, lightless cave of his room. 

Syaoran was embarrassed with his own thoughts. He had actually thought that Sakura liked him, but what he saw today disproved his theory. It wasn't he she had fallen after, wasn't he she thought about every night, nor he she enjoyed walking down the street with arms linked, talking amiably and smiling sweetly.

The same picture flashed across his mind despite his attempts to expunge it completely: Sakura strolling, smiling and laughing beside some guy she obviously knew from somewhere. He brought his fist down onto his pillow beside his head like a hammer bent on pounding a nail deep into a wooden surface. Sakura had somehow wedged herself through an undetected crack in his heart's protective barrier without his knowledge, and now he couldn't drive her out.

When Sakura was around, he felt … good for the first time since his parents died. She wasn't taking their place, but she was filling an empty space he didn't even know he had. After all the good she had caused him, this was what she reverted him to: a sulking loser.

He wouldn't deny that he was attracted to her, but he was confused about his feelings. Did he want to be more than friends? Did she?

_She does clearly enjoy being around me since she comes to my house almost every day … she does care about me … I just don't know on what level,_ Syaoran thought logically.

He wanted to believe she liked him so he was reliving every memory from that perspective. Then he asked himself how he would feel if Sakura had a boyfriend that wasn't him. He snorted angrily at the very idea. He didn't like the images he received in his mind. It had to mean something if he was disturbed by Sakura with another man. Maybe he did love her … maybe.

He slowly pushed himself off his bed and sat on the edge with his feet on the floor. How long had he felt this way? Since they met … a little after perhaps, but he did like her. He knew it now. Had she noticed anything, could she tell?

Syaoran shook his head, _Sakura isn't that perceptive. Tomoyo, on the other hand, is a different story. _

With the mention of Tomoyo's name, Syaoran remembered that she and his cousin were still outside. He decided it would be better to face them now than face them later.

* * *

Meiling walked to the door when a soft round of knocks was heard. She had promised Tomoyo she wouldn't harm the girl, but she wanted to talk with her before she went in to see Syaoran. 

Tomoyo, after much coaxing, agreed to let Meiling talk with Sakura alone and without her visible presence. (She made it clear that she would hide inside the room when Sakura was there.) Meiling put on her most reassuring smile, took a deep, calming breath and slowly opened the door; there she was.

Meiling presented her hand in a friendly manner and Sakura shook it. "Hi, I'm Meiling Li, Syaoran's cousin. You must be Sakura Kinomoto, the girl I've heard so much about."

Sakura smiled sweetly, keeping in mind Tomoyo's warning on the phone. This had to be problem number two. They stopped shaking hands.

"Yeah, that's me. Listen, is Syaoran here? I really need to speak with him."

"I know; Tomoyo told me all about it. Before you do, can you and I have a little … chat?" Meiling waited politely for an answer. Something about the short pause Meiling inserted before the word chat and the falsely sweet tone of her voice worried Sakura immensely.

It was times like these she had to ask herself,_ Where the heck is Tomoyo!!! _

"Sure, no problem, Meiling," Sakura finally answered and followed the proud female into Syaoran's guest room, her temporary room. She wondered why it was easier for her to call Meiling by her first name, having just met her, while calling Syaoran anything other than Li aloud was such a hard task for her. She had known him for three, close to four, months now, yet she still called him by his last name and vice versa. She would probably faint if he ever called her Sakura instead of Kinomoto.

Meiling took a seat on her bed. "Can you close the door. I don't want Syaoran to accidentally hear us."

Sakura obediently closed her only escape route and took a seat beside her could-be attacker on the bed.

"I'm going to get right down to it. You annoy me." Sakura's eyes widened; she never was good with criticism. Meiling continued on, "You annoy me because you did what I couldn't do. You helped my cousin. You beat me to it, and I hate losing."

Sakura nodded at her emotionally spoken words. Her voice was firm, serious, confident and powerful; she sounded like she had been running her speech through her head before Sakura came because she knew exactly what to say. It was amazing how unlike Sakura Meiling was because Sakura was not good at giving speeches and always stuttered.

"Syaoran is my cousin, and I watch out for my family. He's been hurt and by you."

"I know, and that's why I came here to apologize," Sakura tried to defend her case, but Meiling plowed on unfazed. "Your act of stupidity today, linking arms with some random guy, makes me so angry! Do you realize how much Syaoran obviously likes you? I haven't even seen how he acts around you and already gathered that much."

"Your wrong, I don't think Li sees me like that. He's never said anything either," Sakura said a bit sadly.

Meiling shook her head, "Oh my gosh, girl! Get a clue! He laughs and smiles now because of you, with you, for you! He wouldn't even speak to me or anyone after –" Meiling stopped short. She didn't know if Sakura knew about the deaths of his parents.

She was surprised when Sakura offered, "after his parents died."

"Did he tell you?" Meiling asked incredulously.

Sakura shook her head shamefully, "I found out by accident."

"Oh …" Meiling's relieved response carried through the air, ringing the room into silence.

Sakura was the first to speak again. "Look, I know what I did was stupid, but I was scared to talk to him. I thought you and him were a couple, and I didn't know how to face him after that."

"So you obviously like him."

"What! – I – no, that's not it! I just – he's – we're – no!" Sakura replied with flustered words, her cheeks tinting a light pink. _Why does everyone think I like Syaoran? _

"Then why would it upset you?" Meiling stared expectantly at Sakura who didn't know how to respond. She didn't know how to explain it, this feeling of hers. "I don't know."

"Dang, you're stupid and annoying," Sakura bit her lips at Meiling's harsh words, "but for some reason, I can't bring my self to hate you. Even though you did hurt Syaoran, I can't dislike you."

Sakura nodded her head slowly. Meiling laughed abruptly, "You must think I'm crazy for preaching to you when I don't even know you."

"Not really, I understand where you're coming from. You just want to protect him, that's all. If someone ever hurt Tomoyo, I think I would do the same." Sakura's reassuring smile and innocent personality infected Meiling and she smiled as well.

"I guess I'm done with my interrogation; I feel like I can let you and Syaoran be together without worry," Meiling walked over the closed door and opened it. "I'll make you a deal. If Syaoran ever hurts you, I'll hurt him back with a physical attack, but you have to promise me something. Never pick up a stranger off the side of the road just to keep Syaoran from talking to you. Don't be a coward."

Sakura, blushing from the comment about her being with Syaoran, walked over to Meiling and extended her hand. "Deal. I hope we can become good friends."

Sakura smiled and walked towards Syaoran's room. Meiling stepped back inside her room and Tomoyo slid back the door of the closet. Stepping out, she was instantly bombarded by Meiling's words. "Why didn't she fight back when I called her annoying? Any other person would have argued with me and stood up for themselves."

Tomoyo sighed; this was her friend's flawed perfection. "Sakura isn't someone who fights for herself. She only fights for those around her. She puts others before herself all the time. I don't know how she does it, such a selfless act."

"That girl … Syaoran would be crazy to let her go," Meiling commented, and Tomoyo nodded in agreement.

"Let's go to my place and give them some privacy. Sound good?" Tomoyo proposed and the two girls crossed through the house and exited through the front door as discreetly as possible. They caught a glimpse of Sakura standing in the living room, which was connected to Syaoran's room, clearly debating on whether to knock on his bedroom door or not.

* * *

Syaoran turned the knob of his door after shuffling through his dark room for the exit. When he opened the wooden structure and stepped out into the living room, he saw her standing in the middle of the living room with her back facing him. It was Sakura. 

She turned around to face him when she heard the door open and stood rooted to the spot. Neither moved, but their minds were racing with thoughts accumulated over the course of the day.

Sakura couldn't help but think about Tomoyo and Meiling's bold declarations about Syaoran's feelings for her. She still didn't let herself believe it for fear of being wrong and embarrassed in the end.

Syaoran, on the other hand, was thinking about how beautiful she looked just standing there, eyes sparkling, before he remembered her "boyfriend." He stood no chance as it was.

"Hi," Sakura said lamely. Syaoran returned the notion and then everything was quiet. Sakura began again after collecting her thoughts. "I – I just wanted to apologize about today. I – I heard you calling after me but –"

"So you were avoiding me on purpose?" Syaoran asked coldly. He was so angry about her having a boyfriend that his annoyance was seeping through his voice without his knowledge, and he couldn't control it.

"S-Sort of. I'm sorry," Sakura looked at the floor for fear of locking eyes with him. She didn't want to see him looking at her with animosity in his eyes.

"So who was the guy?" Syaoran spoke again.

"His name's Yakushi; we went to the same high school." Sakura spoke cautiously, refusing to glance at him.

Syaoran was hoping she would say if he was her boyfriend or not, but she didn't disclose that information. Did she not want him to know? He didn't want to seem obvious, so he posed a different question. "And why were you avoiding me? Was it really because of my cousin?"

"Ah, well, yeah," Sakura stammered and stumbled over her words because she knew what he would ask next.

"Why?" Syaoran asked.

Sakura was sweating under his intense gaze. Why? Why had she been upset? Such a simple question was difficult to answer. By now she had looked everywhere in the room except at Syaoran. He had noticed as well. The more he stood there, the more he wanted her to look at him. He wanted to see her eyes and smile and face.

If he had to guess, he would say that he did love her, but it was pointless now since she already had someone. He focused his attention back on Sakura because she had begun to speak.

"Well, I thought you were … together, and it bothered me for some reason."

"You have no room to be bothered when you already have that Yakushi guy," Syaoran fired back at her with more emotion than intended. Sakura looked at him for the first time and cried out," Yakushi and I aren't a couple! I don't like him like that."

Syaoran was speechless. _They aren't together, and she doesn't like him,_ Syaoran sounded in his mind. He had to repeat it to believe it. Sakura didn't have a boyfriend after all.

"Look, I'm sorry that I avoided and hurt you, Li," Sakura walked swiftly across the room and passed Syaoran, who was still processing the shocking information. She decided it was time for her to leave since their conversation was getting them nowhere. Tomoyo and Meiling were wrong, and she was right; Syaoran didn't like her in that way.

She was in the process of pulling the door open when it was suddenly clamped shut by the force of a large hand. Sakura stared at the five fingers located on the door beside her head and could feel Syaoran's presence behind her.

She suddenly felt his hot breath in her ear as he leaned down to whisper, "Sakura, I love you." He knew it now; he was positive of his feelings. He loved Sakura. He loved her so much he would die for her without a second thought. He was taking a gamble by exposing his naked feelings, but he didn't regret his actions or words.

Sakura was stunned speechless. She had just heard the two things she never thought she would hear in the same sentence. Add in the combination of Syaoran's hot breath and his closeness (he was standing about an inch behind her), and Sakura was fighting to stay standing.

Syaoran's face was still lingering beside of Sakura's, waiting for some type of response. The silence had continued on for what seemed to him like forever, and he was becoming worried. He went to pull away, fearing rejection, but Sakura turned around and grabbed the sleeves of his t-shirt tightly.

"Don't go," was all she could utter. Syaoran placed both his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back just far enough that he could view her face. She was crying silently, but there was a smile on her face. He used his thumb to wipe away the tears but more came.

"I-I love you too," Sakura said quietly, realizing that the feelings she had for Syaoran had to be love, "L –." Before she could even get the word "Li" out, Syaoran kissed her. Sakura's grip on his shirt tightened and she closed her eyes. This was bliss.

The sweet, tender kiss ended after what seemed like a moment to both people, and Sakura's eyes fluttered open almost sleepily. She was staring up into the passionate, brown eyes of the love she had only just realized. "Call me Syaoran."

* * *

**A/N: Wow, I think I forgot how to update. lol, jk. It did take me a few tries to get this chapter posted correctly though. lol. (sorry to the people who receive alerts for this story.) **

Anyway, I updated. Finally. I have been so busy, but I'm trying to make time for this story. I really want to see this through to the end so I can't give up! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave me some feedback!!!!

Thank You All For Your Reviews!!! Leave some more: )

See You Next Chapter,

Radiant Sun


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_**Chapter 12**_

**The Night Returns**

"Geez, you're so much trouble," teased Syaoran as he walked Sakura to the door of his apartment-sized home.

"I am not!" squealed Sakura, giving him a playful shove. "Now, I'll see you after I tell him. Tomoyo said it'd be cruel for me to bring you."

"I know the drill. Tomoyo lectured me like a child. I'll be waiting right here."

Sakura smiled at him thankfully before exiting his house. She was on her way to break the news to Yakushi, who was waiting for Sakura so they could share a lovely evening together. Sakura would have rather called to cancel, but she didn't have his phone number. The only way to get the job done was to go in person.

Sakura pushed open the diner door and a bell jangled, signaling her entrance. Yakushi instantly stood from a booth and glided across the room to receive her.

"Ready to go?" he cooed, reaching for her hand. Sakura didn't have the heart to recoil from his grasp. "I've picked the perfect place to eat and after we can go catch a movie at the local theater."

Sakura smiled kindly at him as he pulled her out of the building, jangling the bell again with their exit. It seemed to provide her with the initiative to begin her explanation.

"Listen, Yakushi, I'm really sorry, but –" Sakura looked at the ground, slowly removing her hand from his. "I can't go out with you tonight."

His face fell instantly. "I don't understand … why?"

"I … already have someone." The words still sounded strange to her, but there was a nice ring to them. She was Syaoran Li's girlfriend now.

It was all so high school-ish with the way he asked her to be his girlfriend last night, but Syaoran had never been good with words. The feelings were what counted anyway.

"Oh," said Yakushi without bothering to hide his disappointment. "Who is he?"

"It's the guy I was trying to avoid yesterday. You see, there was this big misunderstanding, but it worked out and everything's fine."

"So I'm a day late and a dollar short, I see," he said dejectedly, attempting a smile. "I'm really sorry, Yakushi," tried Sakura.

She didn't want him to be angry at her. He gave a short, forced laugh.

"No, it's fine, Sakura. Don't worry about it," he said, finally able to flash her an earnest grin.

Sakura let our her breath in the form of a sigh. "Thanks for being so nice about it," smiled Sakura.

"Hey, no problem. Think I can still escort you to your front door?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

"Ah, sure, why not," Sakura agreed.

"Thanks for walking me home," said Sakura as she waved Yakushi down the street and out of sight.

She dropped her smile immediately after he'd turned the block and fastened a scolding frown. "You can come out now," she said with calm incrimination. There was no movement, and a passerby would have mistaken her for talking to the lamp post in front of her steps. She stamped her foot impatiently.

"Syaoran Li, I know you followed me so you might as well –" she stopped when Syaoran emerged from the corner of the house with a sheepish smile.

He walked up the front steps and stopped on the stair below her so they could be at eye level of each other. He was still a bit taller than her even with their difference in footing.

"How long did you know?" he asked.

"I noticed when we turned the corner just a minute ago," she revealed with a hint of embarrassment at not noticing earlier. She crossed her arms. "Why were you following me?"

"Isn't that obvious? I wanted to make sure you were safe." He flashed a genuine, gentlemanly smile that would melt the heart of any woman.

"Nice try, but I don't buy it." At Sakura's reply, he dropped the grin. "He's not that good looking, is he?" Syaoran commented, looking in the direction Yakushi disappeared.

"Ha," she jabbed her index finger at his face triumphantly. "You were jealous!"

"Was not," he pushed the finger aside and brushed past her. Sakura whirled around and poked him in the back as he rang the doorbell.

"Were too," she taunted. "And I happen to think Yakushi is very good looking."

Syaoran cringed. Sakura continued, loving the game. "Oh yeah, his hair is never messy" – Syaoran thought of his hair in disarray and ran a hand through it absentmindedly – "he has a nice face and has strong muscles. His eyes are very charming as well. Not to mention he has the manners of a gentleman."

Sakura giggled at herself. This was too much fun.

"Oh yeah," Syaoran turned to face Sakura, who stifled her laughter in time. "What do you think about my eyes?" He moved down to eye level and Sakura leaned in closer to get a better look.

"Hmm," she began with the intent of keeping the game alive. "I think –"

She never finished because Syaoran kissed her unexpectedly. She blushed and Syaoran pulled away satisfied. "Cheap trick," Sakura muttered; even though she was happy, he had beaten her at her own game.

Tomoyo finally came to the door and let them inside. She and Meiling had been watching random, classic Disney movies like Beauty and the Beast. Before their current motion picture, they had the pleasure of viewing Cinderella and The Little Mermaid.

Sakura took one look at the screen and plopped down onto the couch. "I love this movie!" she squealed like a child.

"I hope you do since we found them in your room," said Meiling with a smile. Sakura was such an innocent girl.

"Aww, the Beast is so adorable," said Sakura when the aforementioned character tried to coax a bird into taking seed from his hands. "Why are you watching this anyway?"

"Oh, that's because Tomoyo's next project is for a woman who wants to have a Disney Princess wedding dress, but she didn't want it to be a carbon copy of one already featured in the movies. She wants the bridesmaid dresses to follow the same pattern and the tuxedo's should match as well," Meiling recited the words dutifully and dully as if she had heard them a million times.

Tomoyo _had_ reminded her of them every time the ruby-eyed female inquired why they had to watch cartoons. "I roped Meiling into helping me. She was _so_ thrilled," laughed Tomoyo sarcastically.

"I bet she was," agreed Syaoran with a smirk.

"Of course, but since Sakura's here, I think I'll let her take over my job," Meiling said.

"Huh, I heard my name," said Sakura, her eyes tearing away from the Disney masterpiece. Tomoyo, Meiling and Syaoran laughed at her clueless face, and she shrugged back to the movie in return.

"Well, I'm going home – well, to Syaoran's house, so I'll see you later," said Meiling. She walked out the door, and Tomoyo smiled, thoughts of the new couple flooding her head.

Sakura had come home late last night and told her of everything that had transpired after she and Meiling left. The giddy girl had also left early the next morning – 11:00 being early for Sakura – to go back to Syaoran's house. Tomoyo was happy for them and so was Meiling. She was present for Sakura's confession as well because she had spent the night and only left a few minutes ago.

"And then there were three," Syaoran said to fill the void of conversation. Sakura was too engrossed in the animated art to say anything.

"You're welcome to watch with us," invited Tomoyo as she took a seat on Sakura's right side. Syaoran took up the cushion to Sakura's left, and they finished up the movie.

"Are you crying?" he asked Sakura with a disbelieving tone.

"No," sniffled Sakura. Technically she wasn't crying because there were no tears. Her eyes were just watery, and there was a giant lump in her throat. "It's sad though because he almost died. Belle was crying – even if its cartoon, I cry when others do. Don't make fun of me!" cried Sakura, realizing how pathetic she sounded.

"Next is Sleeping Beauty!" sounded Tomoyo with as much fake excitement as she could muster.

"As fun as this sounds, I think I'm going to bail," Syaoran said while standing up. Sakura stood as well. "I'll walk you to the door."

Tomoyo busied herself with removing the disc and inserting the next one, but her ears were skillfully tuned on the couple as they shuffled to the door. It was so cute how they were uncomfortable with PDA.

* * *

"Wow, I've never been to a restaurant this fancy. I didn't even know we had one like this in Tomoeda," babbled Sakura. She was captivated by the elegance of their chosen place of dining. 

"I know Sakura hasn't, but have you ever been here, Syaoran?" inquired Tomoyo as the group followed the hostess to their seats.

"Yeah, my parents used to come here once a year for their anniversary, but they brought me for my birthday a few times," answered Syaoran as he gazed around at the familiar scene.

Sakura squeezed Syaoran's hand at the mention of his parents, but he reassured her by returning the pressure on her own dainty hand to dissuade her worries. Eriol pulled out Tomoyo's chair when they reached the table, and she sat graciously, flashing him her beautiful smile.

Before Syaoran could even move to do a gentlemanly act of his own, Sakura sat down and scooted her chair up herself. Tomoyo giggled at her friend, and Syaoran took his seat beside the blissfully ignorant beauty. It had been a little over a month since they became an official couple, and this was not the first time they had doubled with Tomoyo and Eriol.

"I still miss Meiling, don't you?" asked Tomoyo to the rest of the table. Eriol had met Meiling a few times while coming over to spend time with Tomoyo. He met Syaoran the same day he first met Meiling when Sakura and he returned to the apartment together.

All five people had once immersed themselves in a card game called Spoons and people were diving across the table and fighting over the metal eating utensils to stay in the game.

"Speak for your self," muttered Syaoran and Sakura punched him lightly in the arm and gasped.

"That's not nice, Syaoran!"

"You didn't have to live with her."

"No, but she's your cousin! You shouldn't say that about family."

"Family or not, she's annoying, but not as much as my sisters."

They continued back and forth, and Eriol and Tomoyo watched the interaction without speaking. Meiling had left on a six o'clock flight a week after Syaoran and Sakura became a couple.

It had been a hassle to get Sakura out of bed and ready by six, but the two girls made it in time for their friend's departure. Syaoran had been there with Meiling the entire time and was forced to carry her luggage. Eriol was the only one missing when she boarded the plane and that was because he was busy with his job.

Work had been the main reason behind Meiling's departure since the vacation days she took for the trip were almost expired. Her boss was a stickler for the rules, and if she came in a late for work again, he would fire her.

She was beyond unhappy with her current job as a receptionist for a man with a stick shoved too far up his butt, and readily took the Daidoji Toys business card that Tomoyo offered her with the intent of working in the Honk Kong branch of Mrs. Daidoji's company. She didn't mind remaining a receptionist; all she wanted was a change in bosses.

"Hey, what did Meiling say when she pulled you aside? You still haven't told me," questioned Syaoran. Sakura blushed and shook her head. She wasn't about to say that Meiling said she approved of her accepting Syaoran's proposal if it ever happened.

While they had been together for a long time after meeting many months ago, they had only been _together_ for a month and a half. Marriage hadn't even crossed her mind until Meiling mentioned it.

"I've told you it was nothing," she lied. "She just reminded me that she'd help beat you up if you ever hurt me." Sakura laughed, effectively selling the white lie.

Meiling had said that to her once when they first met in Syaoran's house, so she wasn't telling a complete fib. Syaoran mumbled incoherently and gulped some of his water. The waiter recorded their orders, and they were eating in record time.

* * *

"So, where are we going?" asked Sakura gently so as not to disrupt the quiet and serene night which had settled around them. 

They had split up with Tomoyo and Eriol so the night could be finished with a date for two instead of four. Syaoran had planned something for after the dinner, and Sakura was bewildered as to what it was.

"It's a surprise," he said mysteriously.

Sakura pouted. "Can you give me a hint?"

"Hmm, let me think about it," he paused, "– no."

"Pooh, you're no fun," she stuck her tongue out at him with a soft giggle.

"We're almost there," he said after a few minutes of walking.

Sakura had no sooner seen the lights when a gasp escaped her lips. "Are we really …" she trailed off when Syaoran nodded. "Yay!" she squealed, and Syaoran couldn't help but chuckle as she clapped her hands together.

"Calm down, it's just the Tomoeda fair," said Syaoran, who was extremely proud of himself for making Sakura so happy.

"C'mon, let's hurry," Sakura tugged at his hand and with only a small journey left to make, Syaoran scooped her up in his arms and ran. Embarrassed at the scene they were causing, she tried to make Syaoran put her down, but he laughed at the request and refused. She resigned herself to blush into his jacket, keeping her face from view.

He put her down outside of the entrance, and she busied herself with straightening out the invisible wrinkles in her clothes while he paid for the entrance tickets. All the rides were free after that and the only payment required would be for food or games. It was one reason Sakura enjoyed the Tomoeda Fair because she loved rides and not having to continually purchase tickets.

"Can we go ride that one?" asked Sakura while pointing over to the Scrambler, a fast-moving ride which spun its riders around in circles. Syaoran agreed without argument, and they made their way through the crowd to wait in line.

Thirty minutes later, they were leaving the ride satisfied, and as they were wandering past a booth game, a large, white ,stuffed-animal rabbit with long, floppy ears caught her eye.

"Step right up and give it a go. All you have to do is knock over all the jugs and win your choice of prizes," said the announcer stationed behind the booth.

Syaoran saw that Sakura had been staring at a particular animal and steered them towards the booth. "I'd like to try," he said and exchanged his money for three soft balls. On his third try, Syaoran had managed to knock the cans over all three times.

"We have a skilled marksman here, ladies and gentlemen!" said announcer-man from behind his microphone headset. "Pick you're prize from those hanging on the wall behind me."

Syaoran pointed to the stuffed animal he thought Sakura had fancied, and Sakura took the large-as-her-head wolf with a smile, glancing back at the bunny with longing.

"Thank you," she said with a small grin, attempting to mask any disappointment..

Syaoran sensed something was amiss, "What's wrong? Don't you like it?"

The more she looked at it, the more she realized the cute, little, baby wolf was very adorable. "Nothing's wrong. It's so cute!" she held the stuffed animal to her cheek and smiled gratefully at Syaoran, who was relieved by her actions.

"Where do you want to go next?" he asked. Sakura pulled him around the fair and rode anything that caught her eye. They stopped for refreshments once, and Sakura insisted that she pay since he'd paid for everything else.

After a short disagreement, Sakura persuaded Syaoran to comply with her wishes. They sat down and ate their pizza slices happily, sipping on their choice of soft drink.

"Tired?" queried Syaoran as Sakura stifled a yawn behind her hand.

"No," she said defensively, afraid of being forced to leave.

"We've rode everything in here except the Ferris Wheel, Sakura. Can you honestly say you aren't tired?"

"Just a little," she finally admitted, "but I'm fine. Promise."

Technically, she wasn't fine because she'd been having uneasy feelings for the last hour, but she couldn't place her sudden alarm. She was nervous and anxious because her gut was trying to tell her something, but she didn't have a clue what.

Pushing it to the back of her mind again, she cleaned up the table she and Syaoran were eating at by throwing away their empty plates and cups.

"Let's go ride the Ferris Wheel," she cried before taking her nameless, miniature Grey Wolf stuffed animal off the table and skipping away, Syaoran following close behind. He'd already witnessed the queue for the attraction and knew there was no need to rush.

After waiting an eternity, they were finally second to next in line to board the two-person seats of the Ferris Wheel. Syaoran casually looked to his left and then his right as a consequence of boredom. He had to do a double-take to the left because of who he thought he saw.

His incredulity transformed into confusion, and he was torn between staying with Sakura and chasing after Redan, who was sitting harmlessly at a picnic table. Their eyes met and his were filled with an invitation to a challenge. Syaoran glared heavily at him and took a step in his direction but stopped when Sakura's voice broke his concentration.

"We're getting on next. Ready?" Syaoran nodded and when she turned around to watch the wheel spin to a stop, he averted his focus back to Redan.

The man smirked and stood up from the table. He turned around and began walking away. Syaoran couldn't stand it. His mind was in turmoil, and he didn't know which side he wanted to win this internal battle of his. Did he want to chase Redan or ride the Ferris Wheel with Sakura?

He hadn't seen the vile man in over a month and the absence of temptation was not enough to change his ways. Sakura tugged his hand, looking sadly into his eyes. "Please, don't go after him," she pleaded softly. She had spun around to catch his determined gaze and follow it to none other than Redan.

Syaoran wanted to assure her that he wouldn't but only stepped toward the Ferris Wheel instead of answering. Sakura boarded the chair without a smile and Syaoran hesitated, glancing back in time to see Redan nearing a corner. The despicable murderer turned down beside a vibrant booth covered in balloons, and Syaoran glanced beseechingly at Sakura with sorrow in his charming eyes.

She frowned but looked away instead of responding. He quickly fled the platform and raced down the dirt pathway lined with carnival games and refreshment booths on either side.

Sakura watched him go with a steady gaze and gripped her wolf tightly in her lap. Gloom settled in her heart with every stride he made away from her and towards his past actions.

He turned the corner at the balloons and saw Redan exit the fair. He dashed out after him and slowed down to follow at a pace of leisure.

Sakura was about to get off the ride herself, but the workers found another single rider and pulled the bar down over her lap. Before she could protest, they had set the ride in motion and she was heading for the top.

All the people on the ground who had witness Syaoran ditch her in a hurry were sending sympathetic eyes in her general direction on the ride and whispering amongst themselves about a bad breakup or couple's fight.

Sakura was too engrossed with her own thoughts to notice the man beside her was Yakushi until he spoke. "So was that the boyfriend?"

She looked at him blankly before realizing who it was. Sighing, she agreed that it was him.

"Seems like a … nice guy, especially by the way he ditched you to ride a couple's ride by yourself," deduced Yakushi with detectable sarcasm.

"It's … complicated," answered Sakura.

"It always is ..." said Yakushi to himself.

She had known it was a complicated situation, but she thought that maybe – just maybe – Syaoran could overcome his past and look to the future. She now knew otherwise. The reason he hadn't reverted to his old ways sooner was merely because he hadn't seen Redan once since the time of renouncing his vengeful thoughts.

The real test occurred tonight, and he failed horribly.

_I should have known it wouldn't be easy,_ thought Sakura while staring up at the starry sky pensively, unconsciously petting her little wolf.

* * *

**A/N: Phew, it feels good to finally get a chapter completed! Hope it feels just as good for you to read it! I am _incredibly, stupendously sorry_ for the three month wait and I want to thank all of you who are sticking with me! You're awesome and I wouldn't be writing this story without you! I'm going to try my hardest not to disappoint you so please stay with me : ) I will say that we are getting closer to the end. I know what's going to happen. It hasn't been written yet, but I'm gonna make it as good as I can get it! Promise!  
**

**REVIEW! pretty please with whip cream, sugar, chocolate, sprinkles, caramel, and/or a cherry on top. (Now i wanna eat some ice cream ... lol) Before you go eat your own ice cream (if i've sparked that thought) leave a review to let me know what you think. **

**See Ya Next Chapter**

**Radiant Sun **


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

* * *

_Chapter 13_

**The Sun Burns**

"Sakura, open up!" Syaoran beat a fist against the apartment door. He had been standing outside for five minutes pleading to enter. Neighbors glared and passer-bys watched with amused curiosity.

"She's not here!"

"Tomoyo, I know she is – she answered the door and slammed it in my face. She's here."

"Well, she can't come to the door right now," continued Tomoyo hotly, muffled slightly as it traveled through an inch of wood.

"Are you crazy? She did come to the door, remember." He sighed tiredly and dragged a frustrated hand down the side of his face, contorting it oddly and earning a laugh from a young boy walking passed with his mother. Syaoran's focus darted back to the door as Tomoyo's shrill with anger voice reached a peak.

"You're the crazy one and you know it. How dare you leave Sakura on the Ferris Wheel _alone_ and run off without even – ooh! She waited on you until they closed the park, but did you bother coming back? No!"

"I know! Damn it! I _know_! I'm here to apologize." He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. Of course Sakura waited for him. She was much more thoughtful.

"Fine. Can you tell her I'm sorry and won't do it aga – Sakura! Ah … Sakura?" He was surprised when she opened the door but his first reaction changed instantly when he saw no signs of emotion in her eyes. They were hard and glassy, nothing like usual.

Her eyes locked on the ground, "Don't lie to me."

Syaoran frowned at her stony voice. "I'm not lying. I won't leave you again. I won't chase him again. Trust me."

He implored so earnestly she had to force herself to stay strong. "I wish I could – I really want to – but you have to see this from my point of view. Your obsessed – obsessed with the past." Her eyes snapped up and bored into him with a gaze unwavering. She was strong – stronger than him. She did what he could not.

"Are you saying forget the past? Forget my parents and that bastard? How could you even say that? Are you going to forget your family?"

"Never. You should always remember, but don't _live_ in the past. Bad things happen to everyone. We aren't the only ones suffering." Sakura beseeched him, searching with her eyes for a flicker of understanding in his features. What she discovered alarmed her. Dark eyes and deep frown created a menacing figure, but she held her ground.

"_Your_ parents weren't _murdered_, Sakura!" His yell rang in her head and she swallowed with difficultly, his rage blowing holes in her resolve like Swiss cheese.

Sakura reached out to touch his arm – "Let's go inside" – but he jerked away from her touch as one resisted an open flame. The action flashed a sliver of sad shock in her eyes but the distant gaze returned quickly. She clenched tighter to her failing front.

"What? Don't want people to hear my suffering?" Syaoran glared at her with disbelief. Rather than being her warm, caring self, Sakura acted cold as winter. She wasn't Sakura today. Right now, she played the part of reality he refused.

The hand she reached out in concern clenched by her side at his unbelievable accusation. She would not lose to his stubborn resolve when hers clearly opened his life to a brighter future. Tomoyo always said her stubbornness was unbeatable. Inhaling deeply, she prepared herself for the words constructing themselves in her head.

"What do you want Syaoran? Pity? Do you want a pat on the back for making it this far? Congratulations! While I've managed to live from day to day after losing my dad and brother a year ago, all you've managed to do is exist! You _are not_ living." Sakura panted for breath, adrenaline pumping through her veins. It made her blind to everything but Syaoran.

His face seemed etched in stone, a long frown tugging at his mouth's corner. He held disappointment in his eyes. Sakura swallowed hard at the accusatory daggers shooting from his brown eyes which struck her fragile heart.

"I'm alive so he can die." His voice barely carried over the wind. It was quiet but packed with animosity.

Syaoran felt betrayed. He'd thought Sakura understood at least a little about his feelings. He made a mistake.

"Then what? You'll end up going to prison … for killing someone. You'll ruin your life." Her voice reasoned softly with him, hammering her point of view into his memory. A breeze sliced between them, rustling hair and flapping clothes. Sakura hugged herself for warmth, a foreboding sense of grief prickling her mind and twirling her gut. She combed a strand of hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear.

Syaoran stared impassively into Sakura's emerald eyes, straining to find their familiar brilliance. The green now instilled a growing sense of betrayal. Did she really pity him? Was it pity rather than love? All the confusion mingled together and blocked his thought process.

"My life was ruined the moment my parents died. I lost everything," he said seriously.

Sakura scoffed at his tense words of anger as if he told a poor joke. "You've still got four sisters and Meiling and other relatives too. If you were smart, you'd take advantage of that."

Syaoran surveyed Sakura intensely. "Why are you being so cold? Was all the stuff about helping me a lie? You're not the same Sakura I know."

"_I_ don't lie. You should follow that example and keep your promises." They glared and Sakura caved first. "Look," she sighed. "I want to help you but you're not making it any easier. Especially when you ran off last night. Did you even find him?"

Syaoran shuffled on his feet. "No," he mumbled begrudgingly.

"Please, just give up already! Be happy with what you have."

"Yeah, and what's that? An empty house, bills, and what? What do I have to be happy about?" He growled and she stepped back into the door.

"I – I just thought –" She was losing her edge. She was losing her strength. Worst of all, she felt like she was losing him. The thought itself was enough to steal her courage.

"Well don't. I have nothing to be happy about in my hellish life!"

She whirled around to obscure her face and wrenched open the door, knocking Tomoyo backwards. "You have Tomoyo, Eriol and everyone. You have Meiling and your sisters. You have a life to live." She turned her head around just enough to paralyze him with a piercing stare, her eyes swirling with a million emotions. "And you have me. What's so hellish about that?" Before he could respond, she dashed inside and slammed the door.

* * *

"He's gone now." Tomoyo took her finger off the blind she bent to peep through and sat on the couch beside Sakura. "You were really rough on him. I never knew you could be so stern. Heck, you were just _mean_."

"Thanks, Tomoyo, you're making me feel _so_ much better." Her sarcasm hinted that she wasn't absolutely devastated. Truthfully, she had never been so frustrated in her entire life. "I just thought that he needed a little tough love since whatever I was doing before obviously didn't work."

"I would be so pissed if Eriol left me on the Ferris Wheel for another guy." Sakura and Tomoyo immediately exchanged a look and started laughing hysterically. "I didn't mean it like that!" She sputtered between wild laughter.

"Do you think it'll work?" Sakura asked once they were serious again.

"Time will only tell how stupid that boy is if he doesn't realize what's important," assured Tomoyo convincingly.

"Was I like this, Tomoyo?" Sakura knew her casual façade failed when Tomoyo eyed her with gentle eyes. Apparently, something had given her away. She blamed her eyes. She'd been told they were like a window to her soul on more than one occasion.

"No, once I started dragging you out of the house, you eventually fell back into a normal life. It just takes time, is all. Right now, Syaoran doesn't want to change. He's clinging to the idea that getting Redan will heal his wounds. Once he realizes how foolish this is, he'll listen to you. It just takes time." Tomoyo smiled warmly at Sakura to ease any lingering pain. She nodded slowly and a lull in their talk gave them time to sort out their thoughts.

Sakura exhaled audibly, gaining Tomoyo's attention. "I can't believe I yelled at him. What if he never wants to talk to me again? I said too much." Sakura buried her head in a pillow.

"Look at it this way. If anyone else tried that with Syaoran, they would have lost hearing from all the yelling he would do," assured Tomoyo knowingly.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Sakura chuckled despite her gloom.

* * *

Syaoran sat impatiently in his living room, brooding on the earlier events of the day. He bustled home enraged by Sakura's harsh words and wondering where the sweet, caring and innocent woman had gone. She did not understand him as well as she thought.

She didn't realize how infuriating it was that someone else destroyed his life out of selfishness or how someone took his parents from him. That ultimate crime conjured so much anger that living everyday without his hands closing tightly around Redan's throat was unbearable. He acknowledged her pain of losing loved ones, but it was not the same.

The shrill ringing of the telephone thwarted his brooding. When he picked up, it was Tomoyo. Or at least he thought it was since the person on the other line spoke so quickly comprehension was difficult to master.

"What?" His clipped question irritated Tomoyo and she huffed into the phone.

"Were you not listening to a word I said, Syaoran?" She didn't pause for an answer. "Sakura was feeling bad about being mean to you today, and I'm trying to get this all out before she gets back from the store."

Apparently Tomoyo wanted to yell at him more, but the idea appalled him. Who did she think she was? "Wha – ?"

"Listen, don't talk.," snapped Tomoyo. Her remaining anger had lost its previous intensity. Her voice was at least normal and not shrill. "I understand you feel like you need to avenge your parents, but it bothers me that you would actually" – Tomoyo readied herself for the horrible word she was about to speak of – "_murder_ someone for revenge. I didn't think you were that kind of person, and I hope you aren't. You may _think_ you're the only one suffering in your current situation, but tragedies like this affect more than the person wronged. Sakura is suffering, sitting idly by as you throw your life away. Do you know how many times she's tried to help your stupid self? It hurts me as well, to see you both in pain. Listen to reason, Syaoran Li, or you'll lose the life you have now – you'll lose Sakura. May I remind you that the crime you want to commit is punishable by law. You'll only tear the hole in your heart more, make it beyond repair."

A ringing silence met both ears when Tomoyo stopped. Syaoran took this as his turn to speak. He started off sourly. "_Hole in my heart?_ Give me a break. You're making it sound like some dark poetry material."

"But you know, _despite my refined choice of words_, that I'm right. If it's one thing I'm good at, it's people." Tomoyo stifled her indignation before continuing. "You don't see what your dark lifestyle does to you. It keeps you angry all the time and plotting someone's" – she faltered, ashamed to speak so lightly of it – "death cannot be healthy."

"Healthy or not, this is my life," snarled Syaoran.

"Sadly, yes," agreed Tomoyo calmly. "And if you go through with your evil intentions" – Syaoran snorted incredulously but she pressed on unfazed – "_you _will be just like him."

A sudden fury burst inside him like a dynamite explosion. _Just like him?! Just like that vile, despicable excuse of a human?! Hell no! My plan is justice. It's about succeeding where the law failed. _"I. Am. Not. Like. _Him._"

His hiss narrowed Tomoyo's eyes, strengthening her resolve. "Then prove it."

The challenge in her voice could not be ignored. When Syaoran did not answer her back, she sighed deeply. "Just listen to us for once. Ah … Sakura's back. I gotta go." Her rushed voice wound down to a whisper. Before she hung up, Syaoran caught her fast words. "We do this because we care – remember that."

The line buzzed in his ear and he returned the phone to its cradle. First Sakura and then Tomoyo. Both of them were out to get him. Now all he needed was for Meiling to call and have her turn. He dropped his fist forcefully into the recliner arm. What did any of them know? They could say all that because they were not experiencing it. They could use all those fancy words about darkness and light and holes in hearts because it wasn't their life. It wasn't their problem.

The thought struck him violently, finally breaking down the door it had been knocking on all along. Because he felt that they knew nothing, he tuned them out. He patronized them when they told him to move on or give up his revenge. A giant weight disappeared from his shoulders in that moment. Everything was clear. Sakura's voice rang flawlessly in his head as he remembered her many emotional, pleading words. It was only now they sunk in.

"_You can't bring them back with revenge, so why put yourself in danger? They wouldn't want this for you. Your parents would want you to be happy!" _

"_You have to let go of the past to be happy. You have to let in the light to save you from darkness. If you want to be happy, then you have to depend on others for that happiness. You can't gain true happiness by yourself."_

"_I really do know what you're going through, but you can't stay depressed and angry forever. You have to live for your parents and for the people around you. Please, I'm begging you, stop trying to take revenge on that man for their deaths and live life. Please."_

Time and time again she tried to persuade him and time after time he barely listened. Today, she captured his attention wholly. Sakura, the delicate gentle woman he loved, had a mean temper. Had he deserved such an outburst? His attempts to get Redan were a part of his life – they _consumed_ his life.

Heated words of a furious female with emerald eyes rushed back to him like a slap to the face. _"All you've managed to do is exist! You are not living." _ It was the truth. He had not been living. After meeting Sakura, she revived him from the dead, opened his eyes to the world and lit it up with that brilliance of hers.

Gradually, bits of his old self returned to him with her gratuitous care. She began healing his wounds from the very beginning, helping him so much without his awareness. Ever since they first met in those woods, Sakura never stopped trying to dig him out of the hole he created. They never would have crossed paths if he hadn't been chasing Redan, and that was the only honest thanks he could give his lifestyle. He pondered what would have happened to her if he hadn't been there in the woods and disliked its pursuit. She was safe now and that was all that mattered.

She was the only thing that mattered, and he left her on the Ferris Wheel to fulfill a vengeance that couldn't better his life. She waited at the fair, yet he was too infuriated with losing sight of Redan to bother returning. He ranked extremely high on the horrible boyfriend scale. Sakura yelled at him more today than she ever had. Her ferocity stood well justified. He needed to clean up his act once and for all. Admitting that he needed Sakura to do it was the next step.

"_You have me." _ Sakura said those exact words before slamming the door in his face, so she couldn't detest him and his thick-headedness. He had Sakura and she was all he ever needed. Pathetically, he had to let go of the past to be stronger than his girlfriend.

He rustled a hand through his hair as he stared blankly at the wall. He squirmed in the recliner that Sakura flipped that time and chuckled softly at the memory. That had been right before three crazy women tossed an entire bucket of water in his face.

He wanted to change. He needed to change before it was too late. If he could find some way to reach closure, then he was sure everything would be fine. His father and mother were probably berating him for his stupidity from somewhere above.

Life was so unpredictable. Stability mocks humans from afar, knowing they can't possess it forever. Syaoran now compared himself to a drug addict – powerless against the craving. However, he was tired. Exhausted from the constant struggle and strife he purposefully pushed himself through for a ridiculous cause.

If he killed Redan, he would be no better than the murderer as Tomoyo said. He would only have greater hardships to endure afterwards. Why had it taken him so long to realize that if he fulfilled his life-long ambition, only more pain and anguish would await him?

Sakura had known it all along and tried to open his eyes to reality. Tomoyo lashed at him with harsh words, knowing the same reality. Meiling and his sisters, all along, wanted him to get away from the saturnine world he immersed himself in. While trying to do what he thought was right, he was hurting the people he cared about – the people who cared about him. They did it because they cared. Damn, he was dumb! First he would make amends with the wonderful girl who captured his heart effortlessly.

* * *

Sakura eyed Tomoyo strangely, observing the phone in her hand and the "caught with the hand in the cookie jar" expression on her face. Cautiously, she asked, "Are you calling someone?"

"Uh, yeah, I was about to call your cell to see if you were still at the store or if you were lost on your way home." Tomoyo tried to pass it off as a joke, and miraculously Sakura bought into it.

"I wasn't gone that long. Really. Anyway, I'm going to put this stuff up." As she was walking into the kitchen, Tomoyo caught sight of an oversized watch around her small wrist. It was a man's watch.

"Sakura, where did you get that?" Tomoyo tapped her wrist and Sakura looked down at her own with a confused face.

"Oh," exclaimed Sakura as she saw the metal band. "Shoot, I forgot to give it back."

"Back to who?" queried Tomoyo wonderingly.

"Yakushi. He asked me to hold it because he didn't want it to get wet." Sakura's explanation called for more questions.

"Why would it get wet?" This story interested the raven-haired beauty. She felt a comic sense about it.

"Well, I made a stop by the pond on my way back and I guess he saw me or something. I'm running into him everywhere it seems. Anyway, I managed to kick my flip flop into the middle of the pond and he got it for me."

Tomoyo opened her mouth but Sakura spoke quickly. "I was practicing some karate and it flew off." Laughing at the embarrassed Sakura, Tomoyo helped her put up the groceries.

"So Yakushi can't get over you, can he? Weird how you see him everywhere. You don't think he's a stalker," joked Tomoyo with a theatrical gasp.

"Oh, get real, he's a nice guy and we're in a small town," reasoned Sakura. She added, "and he's not that attracted to me anymore. We're friends."

"That's right. I forgot you only have eyes for Syaoran," said Tomoyo with an airy voice.

Sakura blushed in response. "I hope he doesn't stay mad for too long. Should I see him first or should I wait for him to come to me?"

"Wait. He'll come if it's you." Tomoyo sounded more confident than Sakura felt.

* * *

**A/N: (Peeks cautiously around large tree with sheepish smile) Don't kill me! I know I've taken forever and I know this isn't the greatest chapter, but I finally updated. That's an accomplishment ... (laughs nervously) **

**Okay, if you are still hanging with this story then I LOVE YOU and you're AWESOME! Please hold a little longer since this story is coming to an end, as i've said before. I'm not sure how many more chapters, but not many. In fact, the next may be the last. However, don't hold me to my word because I never know what I'll end up doing.  
**

**Please REVIEW!**

**See You Next Chapter,**

**Radiant Sun**

(tiny revision - November 22)**  
**


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

**

* * *

  
**

_Chapter 14_

**The Night Growls**

Sakura knew the importance of her desired visit, but the gravity of the situation failed to lessen the nervous churning of her stomach.

Her harsh words replayed in her head, each time tearing at her from the inside. Tomoyo had told her to wait for him to act, yet every minute of waiting reassured her of his justified hatred. Selfishly, every cell in her body fought against the notion, hopeful for his lasting regard.

She had thought that if his leaving her would cure his current lifestyle, she would give him up without a fight. When the thought flickered through her mind, however, her need for him over ruled the selfless act.

Not only connected by a similarly dark thread of fate, she cared more for Syaoran than she ever had for anyone. The realization of her epiphany, coupled with her earlier display of coldness, ate away at her. She had portrayed herself the opposite of her feelings, but she tired to excuse her actions by reminding herself that it was for his own good.

The words were little consolation now as she sat on her sofa in the dark. The muted television cast its electronic light for minimal visibility. A nightmare had previously ended her sleep around two in the morning. Restless in her bedroom, she migrated to the living room with careful steps.

Ample time allotted for her to mull over all her dilemmas had steered her away from the horrific scenes of her anti-dream. Sleep eventually recaptured her on the couch, her head still filled with troubled thoughts.

* * *

The knock on the door caused Sakura's heart to skip a beat. She locked wide, hopeful yet worried eyes with Tomoyo, who shooed her away to the door encouragingly. Inhaling deeply in preparation, Sakura grasped the cold doorknob and let the air out loudly to calm herself.

Finally, she twisted the knob and pulled.

All her nervous anticipation drained away when she saw Yakushi and her disappointment and insecurities rose. It wasn't Syaoran.

She checked her crestfallen face and replaced it with a smile of less than usual brilliancy. Yakushi didn't seem to notice.

"I hope I'm not intruding, but do you still have my watch?" The word jogged Sakura's memory and she beckoned him inside.

She led the way to the kitchen. Tomoyo frowned slightly when Yakushi came into view, but she greeted him warmly in opposition of her growing dislike.

"It's right here. Sorry I took it with me, Yakushi. I didn't even realize it until Tomoyo pointed it out," explained Sakura as she fetched the silver watch from the kitchen counter top.

He accepted it with a smile, "Thank you, Sakura."

"Your welcome. And thanks again for getting my shoe for me," said Sakura in return.

"So are you feeling better today? I know you said you were upset yesterday," queried Yakushi as he refastened his watch on his wrist.

"Oh …" murmured Sakura, "Not really."

"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?" he beseeched caringly.

Sakura gave a faint smile, and Tomoyo narrowed her eyes at the kitchen sink where she scrubbed dishes, her back turned on their conversation.

"No, it's fine, Yakushi. This isn't something you can fix," said Sakura finally.

"If there's anything I can do, just let me know," repeated Yakushi firmly.

The doorbell rang while he spoke and Tomoyo whirled away to answer it.

"I'll keep that in mind," said Sakura in shallow appeasement. She knew beforehand that she would never take up his offer. Involving him in a matter concerning Syaoran was not the most intelligent route to take.

Yakushi stepped forward slightly and Sakura noted the action with apprehension. "It's about that boyfriend, isn't it? Listen, I know you like him, but if he's causing you so much pain, why bother?" He spoke in hushed tone, hurrying his words along.

Sakura blinked, unsure but weary of the conversation's direction and seriously wishing for Tomoyo's return.

"There has to be someone else out there," he furthered, taking advantage of her stunned silence.

"I don-" began Sakura, but he had moved closer and was caressing her face with his palm.

He held her chin between his thumb and forefinger in a strong grip. Sakura's doe-like eyes were wide with surprise. A cold chill shivered down her spin and she trembled.

"Yakushi, what are you …" she whispered quickly.

His determined eyes inched closer. She tried to scramble backwards, but his other hand snaked around her waist and pulled her into him. She futilely pressed her hands against his chest in attempted escape, but he was stronger. His fingers jerked her chin upwards, and she cried out from the abrupt rough treatment.

"Stop!" Her protest was feeble, and water was beginning to collect in the corners of her eyes.

Embarrassed by her inability to fight back and protect herself, she tore her chin out of his grasp harshly and turned her head to the side defiantly, her eyes still welling up with tears.

He was off her so quick after that she almost fell from the sudden release of his grip. Tomoyo stood in front of her, a delicate hand gripping each shoulder of her friend. Past Tomoyo's head, Sakura saw that Yakushi had been slammed into a wall by Syaoran and was currently pinned there.

Syaoran had his arm pressed against Yakushi's neck, successfully trapping him and crippling his respiration. The elation she felt from his presence evaporated when she saw him punch Yahushi right in the stomach. She noticed Yakushi's nose was bleeding then and knew it was also Syaoran's handiwork.

"Are you okay?" cried Tomoyo in a high-pitched voice. She hugged her tightly and pulled back for an answer. Sakura nodded.

"I can't believe he did that! What an asshole!" vented Tomoyo incredulously with flaring anger.

Sakura, her gaze never wavering from the fight in front of her, still hadn't regained her senses and felt oddly numb.

"You bastard!" growled Syaoran furiously as he grabbed Yakushi by the shirt and threw him into the floor. Yakushi tilted his head upward, wiping the trickle of blood from his nose with his hand. He stared at it as if for confirmation.

Seeing Syaoran advancing with an undiluted wrath, he hastily scrambled to his feet. He successfully dodged a first swing but caught the second in the gut. Forcing himself to forget the pain, he tackled Syaoran to the ground, knocking over a lamp in the process.

The sound jolted Sakura from her daze. Assessing the scene in seconds, she shouted at them to stop.

"Shut-up! Stay out of this, Sakura!" roared Syaoran as he wrestled with his opponent. She shrank back, hurt by his words. Yakushi, after taking several more hits from Syaoran, managed to fight himself free.

As Syaoran landed on the floor beside him, he fled the room. They heard the front door open and slam closed with his rapid exit. Syaoran stood up, fighting the urge to chase him down the street. He hadn't looked yet to Sakura, afraid of what he might see.

She stared at his back quietly, wondering at the expression on his face.

"Are you okay?" asked Syaoran stiffly after a short silence. He still didn't turn.

"Yeah," croaked Sakura, her voice breaking unconvincingly. "You didn't have to fight," she continued quietly.

His nostrils flared at her sentence and he twisted around angrily to face her. "Didn't have to fight?" he repeated incredulously. "He was trying to …" He shook in outrage, unable to finish the sentence. The skin over his knuckles was stretched white.

"What the hell was he doing here?!" he bellowed finally.

"He came to get his watch," uttered Sakura softly.

He stared at her, his eyes wide. "Why the hell was his damn watch here?!"

"I saw him yesterday and forgot to give it back," replied Sakura, her voice getting smaller and smaller.

"You were _with him yesterday?!_ Oh, this just keeps getting better and better!" He tossed his hands up in the air and glared at her.

"It's not like that!" exclaimed Sakura quickly. She launched into a prompt explanation. "He found me at the park yesterday. My shoe was in the pond. He waded in the water to get it for me, but he let me hold his watch so it didn't get wet. And then he came by today to get it and then – and then you got here." Her eyes dropped to the floor and her shoulders slumped.

She had thought Yakushi was a nice guy, so why did he do that to her? _How_ could he do that to her?

"How could I be so stupid?" she whispered to herself.

"You aren't stupid, Sakura," chided Tomoyo with soft assurance.

"And I just stood there, doing nothing like an idiot," she continued as if she hadn't heard her friend.

"It's not your fault. It's that son of a bitch's fault," reprimanded Syaoran with a twinge of anger at the thought of him. The outright fury was slowly quelled by the elapsed time and his concern for Sakura. He noticed now how fragile she appeared – how shaken she was by the incident.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked gruffly.

"Uh-huh," she replied weakly. He watched Tomoyo lead her to the couch and sit her down. He bent over to pick up the miraculously-unbroken floor lamp and return it to an upright position before turning on Sakura.

Tomoyo gave him a pointed glance and then looked to Sakura. He shrugged at her instruction and she frowned at his noncompliance. She walked out of the room in exasperation after slapping his arm as she passed.

"Syaoran … thanks," muttered Sakura without looking at him.

"You don't have to thank me for something I enjoyed," replied Syaoran with a grimace.

Sakura jerked her head to look at him but kept her lips pursed.

"Don't give me that look. I was pissed enough that he was here when I was coming to see you, let alone him forcing himself on you. I enjoyed every minute of bashing in his face," stated Syaoran evenly.

Sakura surprised him. A slight smile spread like butter across her face. His violent acts had never before roused any reaction such as this. "You came," noted Sakura.

"Yeah …" drawled Syaoran uncertainly, "I'm right here."

She shook her head. "What I mean is, I thought you would hate me, but you came back, so … I was hoping I was forgiven."

Her sentence reminded him of his initial reason for coming which in turn reminded him of her cold and harsh behavior. A frown resulted and Sakura lost some of her confidence, her smile fading quickly.

"I wanted to talk to you about that. I am sorry for the choices I've made in the past. I know I've hurt you, and I'm sorry. But …" He took a deep breath, and she stared at him expectantly, afraid of his next words. "That's just how I am. I don't know how to … to turn it off. It's hard for me to go against what I've been doing for such a long time. It's … hard."

His eyes met hers and she could see how difficult it was for him to share this with her. "I don't want to ruin what's left of my life," he added.

"I don't want you to do that either. If you ruin yours, what am I going to do without you?" She teased a little on the last part, but it was not far from the truth. She had already established her need for him, and it wasn't about to disappear.

"So what do we do now? You don't listen to me when I tell you not to go after him," discussed Sakura.

"I don't know, but do me a favor," began Syaoran as he slid in beside her on the couch.

"What?"

"Stay the hell away from Yakushi." Sakura nodded at his serious order.

"You don't have to tell me twice," she assured. They sat in silence for the longest time, each thinking thoughts of their own. Syaoran leaned into the couch and tried to push away the desire of chasing Yakushi down. Sakura's presence assisted his endeavor immensely.

Sakura bit her bottom lip, stringing the perfect words together. When she had memorized what she wanted to say, she twisted to face Syaoran and waited for him to acknowledge her need to speak. He looked at her expectantly, and she began without further prompt.

"Listen, about yesterday. I didn't mean to be so harsh. It's just that … I want you to … I want to help you like Tomoyo helped me. And everything I said and did before apparently didn't work because you … well, you know with you leaving me on the ferris wheel and all. So I took Tomoyo's advice and just … let you have it to try and clear your head, but you got mad and it didn't work so well. It's not that I don't care about you. I care more than you know but I had to make you realize what you want is not going to make anything better. I want to help you move on."

"Sakura …" he began tiredly, "can we just not talk about it right now. I'm not mad anymore. I know you want to help and I promise to try my best to let some of it sink in. I can't change overnight, so for now lets talk about something else."

Sakura nodded mutely, comporting with his demands. "Well, Rika's wedding date is set for September," she offered.

"Hmm, that's a while from now," he commented. "Four months," she said with a shrug, "it's not that long."

"I don't know. Seems pretty far off to me," insisted Syaoran.

"Four months isn't that long when you think about it. We've known each other – for what? – six months now, but it doesn't feel like it."

"That long? We met back in November so … wow, that is six," realized Syaoran.

"That was back when it was cold all the time. I'm glad the weather is warm now," smiled Sakura.

"Yeah," mused Syaoran as he recalled the night they met. "It still makes me mad that Redan was after you that night."

"You saved me though, remember?" asked Sakura.

"How did you end up being kidnapped by him anyway. I know you said you were walking down the street, but why would he just randomly take you?" He posed the question more to himself.

"Well, personally I think he was angry because he'd tried to pick me up in the park before with his buddy but I got away. I threw my hot chocolate in his face and kicked him in the privates. I thanked Touya for teaching me karate when I got away," remembered Sakura.

"I met them in the park one night too. Redan … his face and shirt was wet … because of _you_?" realized Syaoran.

Sakura decided not to dwell on his use of the word _met_ and focused more on the coincidence of the matter.

"So you were there the first time they tried to get me too? How strange. You know, I think fate has brought us together. It's destiny," she decided with confidence. He didn't respond.

_Destiny, huh,_ he thought. Before her, he felt he was fated for a different life – one of revenge and justice – but Sakura changed his life and what he was destined to do with it.

"What do you think?" prodded Sakura with a smile.

"About what?" he queried.

She rolled her eyes and elaborated. "About us being destined for each other?"

"Oh," he said. He took a thoughtful second while she waited curiously.

"I think …" _you are the best thing that's ever happened to me and I don't care if fate played a role in it, I've got you now and I'm never letting go _

"I think we're pretty good together," he shrugged finally.

* * *

Tomoyo hummed to herself as she wrapped leftovers in cling wrap and stuck them in the refrigerator. Sakura and Syaoran were in the living room watching television and Eriol had just left.

She poured a glass of tea and glided into her bedroom to give them privacy. Sipping it daintily as she flipped through the pages of a bridal magazine, she pondered the design Rika had recently asked her to create. She already had a vision but she needed some more ideas for the tiny details of beading and lace.

Sakura stuck her head in the room much later to tell her goodnight, and Tomoyo glanced immediately at her alarm clock. It was nine o'clock. She closed the magazine and slid off her bed to stretch. Grabbing her empty glass, she took it quietly to the sink and washed it. She placed it on the counter where it would dry.

A soft click sounded in her ear and she whirled around, alert and jittery. The only light on was the floor lamp which lit up the living room and conjoined kitchen fairly well. There was nothing there. She was hearing random noises in her mind, and she shook her head incredulously.

However, the feeling in her gut would not leave. The quiet was eerie. She strained for any abnormal sound.

"Tomoyo?" came Sakura's voice from her bedroom. It startled her, but she regained her heart beat quickly and went to see her friend.

"Yeah?" she asked in the door way.

"Oh, I just heard … I wanted to make sure that was you in the kitchen, that's all," she answered with a laugh like she was crazy for thinking anyone else would be inside their apartment.

"Nope," replied Tomoyo, "just me."

"I guess the whole thing with Yakushi has got me sort of stirred up, huh?" said Sakura casually as she walked toward Tomoyo who stepped aside to let her pass.

"Don't worry about him. If he's smart, he'll stay away from you because Syaoran just might kill him next time," stated Tomoyo.

Sakura sent her a dark look for the choice of words.

"All I'm saying is," defended Tomoyo, "Syaoran will protect you so don't worry. Hey, you've got me too, remember?" She proceeded to enter a karate stance and punch the air.

"Great, my hero who learned karate from watching movies," joked Sakura. "It just bothers me that I wasn't able to defend myself," she added more seriously.

"It's not your fault," said Tomoyo as she stopped boxing and stood straight, "you were surprised. You can't help that."

"Yeah," agreed Sakura half-heartedly as she continued to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Tomoyo changed into her pajamas and exchanged places with Sakura in the bathroom. Just as they were getting ready to turn back the covers, Tomoyo remembered the living room lamp was still on. She shuffled out of her room and twisted the knob until there was no light from the lamp at all. It was in this darkness that she felt a hand, large and strong, cover her mouth tightly.

* * *

**A/N: I'm proud of myself for getting this chapter out. Even though it has taken me forever, I was fighting writers block and homework overload. Yes, yes, I know – excuses, excuses. Well, at least I finally released the next chapter. (******** … or not.) Anyway, we're almost done guys, so hang in there. I love you guys so much for reading my story – more than you will ever know. **

**Thanks so much and REVIEW pretty please?**

**See You Next Chapter,**

**Radiant Sun**


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Card Captor Sakura

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics_: Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

**Sunlight**

**

* * *

**_Chapter 15_

**The Sun Protects**_  
_

"How did you grab the wrong girl?!! You idiot!" bellowed a furious man as another crumpled beneath his burning fury.

The recipient of his wrath opened his mouth in weak defense, "it – it was dark, Redan, and I – I didn't know what she looked like and –" But the enraged man silenced the other with a look of pure hatred.

"Get out of my sight, you worthless piece of trash," he barked as the coward fled immediately out of the room, fleeing for his life. The infuriated Redan ran an agitated hand through his short, black hair and surveyed the room.

A female trembled in the corner, bound and gagged, her pretty, tearful eyes wide with fear as they locked gazes with his own glinting orbs. He smiled a lewd grin in her direction and her heart raced erratically, blood pounding in her ears.

"There must still be a way to do this without her," decided another younger man abruptly as he strode confidently in the room as if a gust of wind propelled him forward. He was younger and shorter than Redan but their similar features were evident. At the sight of him, a strangled cry emanated from the corner, but neither paid their captive any attention.

"Yes, yes, I know, Yakushi. The plan's changed since _that blundering idiot_ …" he trailed off with a deep, frustrated breath. He paced from one side of the room to the other, formulating an improvised plan. "But if we use her," he gestured to the girl in the corner, "then both of them … most likely … yes, it might still work …"

Yakushi waited patiently for the man to gather his thoughts before prodding him for the answers. When at last Redan gave an order, he nodded resolutely and walked over to the frightened girl, who was furiously attempting to free her hands. Without a word, he hoisted her onto his shoulder like nothing more than a sack of potatoes.

She felt precariously balanced on his left shoulder as it dug into her stomach with every step he made, thinking she would fall off any second. The other captor was nowhere to be seen, but she guessed he was leading the way to wherever they were headed. Before she knew it, they were back in the truck that had brought her to this small, dilapidated house.

Yakushi thrust her into the back seat where she lay on her back in a painful position, her bound hands kneading into her spine. She tried to shift onto her side, but the truck lurched forward and she was pushed backward into the seat. She felt hopeless and her eyes started to burn. Her throat constricted as she fought angrily against the coming tears. They fell silently as the truck traveled along to some unknown location.

People were kidnapped all the time. _Other_ people … she never thought it could happen to her. What could she do in this situation? Was she brave enough to do anything in the first place? Unlike Sakura, she did not know even basic self-defense. More than ever in her life, she felt like a weak, incapable little girl.

It was dark. Only an hour had passed since she had been taken from her apartment, Sakura sleeping in her room not five feet away. Why had this happened to her? What had she ever done to Yakushi and this other man – his father. She had heard them address each other so while she trembled in the corner of that small, hardly-furnished, terrible room. She rubbed her face against the seat's upholstery, wiping away her terrified tears of anguish and fright.

"Take a right," she heard Yakushi say into the silence of the vehicle. "I know where I'm going," said his father firmly. The traverse in the truck felt like an eternity, having been unable to see where she was going.

The wheels ceased rolling and the truck's engine cut off abruptly. They were here … wherever _here_ was supposed to be. This time when the truck door opened, the father was the one who retrieved her. She wondered briefly where Yakushi was before the bindings around her legs were severed with a knife and she was yanked roughly from the back seat. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her toward a large, abandoned building. The windows were cracked and broken in places and the wooden walls were a termite haven.

She noticed to the left the beginnings of a forest which stretched deeper and darker beyond her vision. They must have been well out of Tomoeda, high up in the mountains miles away from town. The distance was unnerving. Thinking quickly, her eyes darted frantically for a useable weapon or escape route. A door creaked open on rusty hinges as Yakushi emerged from inside the gloomy edifice. "It's all set," he said gravely.

"Do you have the remote?"

"Yeah, lets do it already. I'm tired of waiting."

She watched silently as Yakushi retrieved his cell phone and dialed. "We're ready. Let him know," was all he said into the device. "Syaoran'll be here soon enough." Redan and Yakushi shared identical smirks at the thought of their plan.

"Syaoran? What do you want with him?" queried Tomoyo, eyeing Yakushi seriously. _Syaoran's involved? … then could this Redan be th-the one who … shit … this is bad … this is _really_ bad … _Fireworks were igniting in her brain and her legs were tingling weakly, threatening to give out.

She was bait! They had meant to grab Sakura, not her. Sakura could have been out here in the middle of no where at the mercy of an insane father-son pair. Tomoyo found relief that at least her friend was spared from this, but it did not last.

"The less you know, the better, Tomoyo," cooed Yakushi.

"Don't. Don't you _dare_ call me by my name, you sick bastard!" leveled Tomoyo in a dark fury.

Yakushi sighed in a tired way, "Look, Tomoyo, I never meant for you to be involved and I'm sorry you are now, but there's nothing I can do."

Tomoyo stared at him incredulously. "Nothing you can do?" she echoed hollowly, "The hell there isn't! You can just let me go and –"

"Would you _both_ shut-up!" roared Redan while massaging his temples irritably. He barked an order, "Yakushi, get her inside already."

Tomoyo gaped at the dreary warehouse in terror and took a step back reflexively. Yakushi had to wrestle her through the rusted metal door as Tomoyo fought him every step of the way. He shoved her inside and she stumbled into the center of the floor. She heard the door close and the latch of a lock clicking.

The moon filtered in the few high windows and dimly illuminated her prison. Left alone and in the semi-darkness, Tomoyo refrained from crying helplessly. Instead, she searched for something sharp to cut the ropes constricting her hands.

* * *

From the passenger seat of Eriol's car, Sakura watched the trees blur past her window in silence. Opening her mouth was dangerous because if she attempted to speak, sobs would overpower her determination not to cry.

The printed paper in her lap was worn from the amount of times she had folded and unfolded it in desperation. She had found it tacked to her front door after a frantic search for a missing Tomoyo. A loud noise had jolted her awake and when she went to investigate, Tomoyo was gone and a floor lamp had smashed on the ground. Frantically, she had scoured the apartment. In her last half-crazed decsion, she checked to see if Tomoyo had ventured outdoors for some ludicrous reason. Of course, her friend was not there, but a single piece of white printer paper fluttered on the door. Syaoran had recieved a hysteric phone call directly after where Sakura cried and looked for guidance.

"Let me see it again," came a voice from her left. It drew her back to reality.

"You can't read it and drive at the same time …" she said quietly.

"Sakura, give me the paper," repeated the voice firmly.

"Syaoran, you've read it a hundred times! You know what it says!" Sakura snapped her head to look at him, her eyes watering up. Furiously, she wiped her eyes until they were dry.

Syaoran gripped the steering wheel tightly in his hands, "We don't have to do this. There's another way, there has to be."

"Syaoran …" murmured Sakura sadly and her eyes returned to watching the scenery fly by as the car sped farther into the mountains. "If it will save Tomoyo then I'm going to do it. I'll finally be able to repay her for saving me a year ago."

"And what? You're just going to give up and hand yourself over? I won't let you. Redan only wants you to get to me. Don't you see?" Syaoran hoped she did – wished she would be reasonable and let him find another solution.

"It doesn't matter what _he_ wants. If I can switch places with Tomoyo then … all I have to do is get away. Syaoran, it's the best way that we can all get out safe," implored Sakura earnestly.

Syaoran focused straight ahead, his jaw clamped shut from fury at the nasty situation. He finally sighed a defeated sigh and pulled the car over to the side of the road. He switched off the headlights and cut the engine. Finally, he turned to look at Sakura.

"I promise," he said heavily and seriously, "I _will_ come for you. Just stay safe until I get there."

Sakura felt a tear slide down her cheek as she nodded, "I promise."

Her whisper tugged at his heart and he caressed the side of her face with his hand, wiping away the salty water. They rested their foreheads together and closed their eyes in a silence more powerful than words. Syaoran kissed her softly before Sakura got out of the car and walked over to the driver's side. Syaoran grabbed a small pistol from the dashboard and held it out to Sakura, whose eyes widened fearfully. She had no idea how to use a gun, let alone the ability to fire it at another human being.

Before she could protest, Syaoran put it in her hand, "Please just take it. I'll feel much better."

Sakura looked down at the heavy piece of metal solemnly. Her jacket pockets already had pepper spray and a pocket knife thanks to him. "What about you?" she asked finally, wondering if his sword could hold up against whatever weapon Redan had.

"I'll be fine," said Syaoran after showing her his own hand gun. He looked a distance down the road. Around the first curve would be the warehouse where Redan had Tomoyo. It was only a little ways away, but as he watched Sakura turn the corner and saw the red tail lights disappear around the bend, it seemed like an impossible distance to cover. He made himself walk quietly rather than race down the street after her. If he was seen before Tomoyo was safely free, then both females would be in danger. Syaoran figured Redan would wait for him to show before he did anything.

* * *

The first sight Sakura saw when she pulled to a stop was the warehouse. This was where she first met Syaoran – this was where it all began. With older memories filling her mind, she stepped from the car and toward the building. Her shoes moved over damp leaves and brown earth as her head swiveled around nervously in search of Tomoyo.

There was a large truck parked a few feet from the entrance to the building but no other person was around. Vaguely she wondered if Syaoran had arrived in the woods where he said he would go. She cast the small forest a reflexive glance. In the short time that she lost her focus, something hard poked her in the back.

Gasping in shock, Sakura froze. "Don't move," said the wielder of the gun. The voice sounded familiar – but not at all like Redan's deep, rough one.

"Where's Syaoran?" the person asked with malice in his tone.

"He isn't coming. I didn't want him involved," Sakura delivered the line like she had practiced it in her head during the car ride here. The note, Syaoran had said, was meant to draw them both there at the same time. To get to Syaoran, he went through Sakura by taking Tomoyo. All Redan wanted was Syaoran's head on a platter and if Sakura happened along in the crossfire, it was even better.

"Where's Tomoyo?" she asked, trying to sound brave. Sakura felt the gun be applied with more pressure, "Walk."

She acquiesced to his command with fearful steps which led her to the entrance of the deserted warehouse. A hand on her shoulder spun her around and slammed her into the metal door. "You!" gasped Sakura in shock when she saw Yakushi pointing a gun at her face.

"Listen, I don't believe you. Syaoran's here somewhere and we're going to find him. And when we do, he'll wish we hadn't," he sneered confidently. Sakura glared at him but even she could tell the fright in her eyes undermined the effect.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Sakura coldly as he made her unlock the latch. He didn't answer. Instead, he opened the door and pushed her inside. She whirled around to face him where he stood in the open doorway.

"Sakura, if only you hadn't gotten mixed up with Syaoran …" he said regretfully while shaking his head in a dismal way, "then none of this would have to happen." Yakushi closed the door before she could respond.

"What about Tomoyo! You said you'd let her go if I took her place!" she screamed, beating the metal of the door angrily.

"Sorry, but I don't compromise," returned Yakushi from outside, his voice muffled by the door.

"Sakura?" queried Tomoyo's voice from somewhere in the warehouse. Sakura turned around and almost cried with joy when Tomoyo walked up to her unharmed.

"Thank goodness," she breathed in relief as she wrapped Tomoyo in a hug. "I was so worried!"

"What are you doing here? Did they go back for you?" asked her the raven-haired beauty as soon as Sakura released her.

"No, I came to save you," Sakura replied with a smile.

"What … how did you even get here?"

"We borrowed Eriol's car," she answered.

"Is Eriol here?" Tomoyo's eyebrows shot up in alarm.

"No! No, we kind of borrowed it without telling him. You know how he keeps that spare car key hidden in his garage …" said Sakura in an ashamed manner.

"We? Who else … oh, Syaoran," realized Tomoyo. Sakura retrieved the pocket knife and flipped it open.

"C'mon, we've got to find a way out," she said while cutting the rope off Tomoyo's wrists.

"That's the only door. There isn't another exit and the windows are too high. Thanks," she said while rubbing her chaffed skin where the rope had been.

"There's gotta be another way. Have you tried the walls? This wood looks really old." Sakura squinted in the dim light and calculated the force needed to break through the weakest part of the wall.

"I've looked. There aren't any holes. This place may be old, but its sturdy," said a depressed Tomoyo.

"Let's look again," encouraged Sakura.

* * *

A twenty minute interval of time had passed since Sakura had entered the warehouse. Their search for any cracks in the fortress of their prison had turned up negative. The only way out was the locked door. Tomoyo and Sakura had taken seats against the wall, staring complacently and lost in thought.

"Don't worry," whispered Sakura into the desolate warehouse silence, "he'll come."

Tomoyo did not respond. Sakura's faith in Syaoran saving them was too great. He was outnumbered and these guys had guns. Could he possibly win? Her eyes darted around the interior in another vain search for an exit. "This place gives me the creeps," she shuddered.

"Yeah …" sighed Sakura heavily, and Tomoyo could tell by the weight of her breath that there was something else to it. "What's wrong?"

"What?" questioned Sakura, her doe eyes wide.

Tomoyo shook her head, "Never mind. Hey, where do you think those two are?"

"No idea. I didn't even see Redan when I got here. They're probably looking for Syaoran," she said with a trace of worry. Tomoyo listened thoughtfully.

"What's Yakushi doing here?" asked Sakura abruptly.

"He's that Redan guy's son," she informed, and Sakura took a sharp breath.

"Then this whole time … he could have done anything … I can't believe this! He even had the nerve to tell me all this was Syaoran's fault," fumed Sakura indignantly.

"Well whose is it then?" challenged Tomoyo.

"What?" Sakura stared at her best friend, incredulous to what she just heard.

"All I'm saying is, Redan was after Syaoran and we got dragged into it," explained Tomoyo cautiously.

"This is _not _his fault."

"Sakura, you just don't want to face the truth. Ever since you got involved with Syaoran, you've been in danger. When you first told me he was trying to _kill_ someone, I had my doubts that even you could help him. Now look – his enemies are going after us!"

"Redan was after me before I ever met Syaoran!" She could not believe they were having this argument considering the danger of their current situation. This was the last thing they needed to be doing, but Sakura couldn't stand letting Syaoran take the blame for this. _He_ had even blamed himself when she called him crying about the note that said Redan had taken Tomoyo. He apologized to her over and over! She did not want Syaoran to hurt anymore.

"What do you mean, Sakura?" The two females were locked in a tense gaze. Sakura broke eye contact, fixing her gaze on the toe of her shoes. Tomoyo waited patiently for an explanation

"I mean … I've been here before. A while back, Redan and some other guy tried to abduct me in the park. I got away," – Tomoyo gasped but Sakura continued – "but it was a few days later, after Rika's engagement party, that he caught me in the street and brought me here. I managed to run off in the little forest to the side and hide. Syaoran and I met in there and he saved me." Sakura squirmed in her seat, fully aware of the furious gaze boring into the side of her face.

Tomoyo spoke through her teeth, "Why didn't you tell me all this before?"

"I didn't want you to freak! I was fine so I didn't see a reason to tell you," exclaimed Sakura.

"I can't believe you would cast something like _that_ off as _unimportant_ to tell your _best friend_! God, Sakura!" she shouted.

"I know, I'm sorry. I should have told you …"

"Yeah, you should have," snapped Tomoyo, obviously hurt.

"I'm telling you now. Doesn't that count for anything?" tried Sakura hopefully.

"Sakura … you are so stupid sometimes, you know that?" Sakura blew out a deep breath, "Yeah, I know."

"I'll forgive you … but only if you promise to tell me everything from now on." Sakura smiled at the proviso and agreed to the terms graciously. A few minutes of healthy silence passed between the two.

"Sakura?" began Tomoyo. "Sorry about what I said earlier. About Syaoran."

Sakura shook her head, "No, it's okay. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I'm just worried about him. It's been a while now …"

Tomoyo pitied Sakura in a glance and patted her friend's shoulder reassuringly. "I'm sure that he's – do you smell that?" Tomoyo's eyes grew large as she posed the question.

Sakura sniffed the air immediately, "It's … gas." They exchanged a loaded look. "They couldn't possibly …" began Sakura in a way that said she believed they could.

"Those bastards! We have to get out of here!" rushed Tomoyo. She moved around the wall beating and kicking it with her fists as she went, hoping for a lose board. Her desperation was evident, but she didn't give up. Sakura couldn't fight her desperation like Tomoyo. She started to cry, nearly resigning herself to a fiery grave. Tomoyo stopped pounding on the wood when she heard the quiet sobs.

"Don't you dare give up!" shrieked Tomoyo as she rounded on Sakura's shaking form. "Damn it, Sakura, we're getting out of here alive and those two are going to rot in jail for all I care!" added Tomoyo as she resumed her previous search for an exit with even more vigor.

Sakura drew in a giant, shaky breath and exhaled slowly. Tomoyo was still the pillar of strength that kept her standing tall. All of a sudden, loud, angry, yelling voices were heard and Tomoyo ceased her battle with the wall. Just outside, something was going on. A fight, perhaps? They couldn't see anything from within, but they strained their ears hard. The words could not be made out but obviously something had happened. Sakura was stricken anxious, not knowing whether Syaoran was in the scuffle.

An abrupt, powerful explosion brought both women to their knees, sending them diving to cover their heads from charred wood flying past. When Sakura looked up, everything around her was a light with flames. Tomoyo's unconscious form didn't seem to be moving. Something warm trickled down her forehead. She wiped it with her hand, and when she looked down at her fingers, it was red.

Fire was eating away at the structure of the warehouse and a burning wreckage remained of the side that exploded. Sakura snatched a glimmer of hope upon seeing an exit through the burning rubble. She could actually see outside from the gaping hole. Their oxygen was depleting and fire threatened to consume them. Tomoyo moaned a few feet away.

"Tomoyo! Tomoyo, are you okay?" Sakura got to her feet and hurried to her friend, pushing the blood on her hands to the back of her mind.

"My leg … it hurts …" whined Tomoyo and Sakura almost cried when she saw the jagged splinter of wood piercing the skin. "Tomoyo … we have to pull it out … we need to stop the – the bleeding."

It was too much. The look on Tomoyo's face when she saw the cause of her pain made Sakura think her friend was going to vomit. Sakura watched as Tomoyo gripped the over-grown splinter and tugged. She howled in pain and started to cry. "I can't, it hurts too bad, it hurts," she sobbed openly. The smoke choked them and stung their eyes.

"We have to get out of here," she said. They would have to deal with their wounds later.

Tomoyo draped her arm over Sakura's shoulder and they limped to the only viable exit. It was still covered in flames but they could see the trees through the fire. It was their only hope.

"Sakura, we've got to hurry!" cried Tomoyo because the ceiling was creaking and groaning. The fire was eating away at the support. They were both sweating and in pain.

"On the count of three," Sakura swallowed but it caught in her dry throat. She needed water. "One … two … three!" They moved as fast at they could, weaving around burning piles of wood. Tomoyo, barefoot in her pajamas, felt her feet blister and the bottom of Sakura's sneakers melted as they stepped on the insanely hot ground. It was the closest they ever wanted to come to Hell. And then they were out.

The first thought in Sakura's mind was the car. If they could just get to the car! "This way," she coached Tomoyo whose every step sent a jolt of pain through her leg – not to mention the rawness her tender feet now suffered. They moved along the edge of the forest until they were near Eriol's car. Only when Tomoyo was safely beside it did Sakura realize how odd it was that they met no opposition.

Her gaze flicked around from the burning building to the ominous woods to the criminal vehicle. Their truck was still here … which meant Redan and Yakushi had not left. But where was he – the one that mattered? Her eyes darted around until they landed on the forest again. Had they cornered him? Her stomach flipped at the thought and her feet moved before she thought it through.

"Where are you going?!" called Tomoyo as she leaned crippled against the side of the car.

"I have to find Syaoran!" she returned over her shoulder as she ran. Tomoyo watched her friend's back disappear into the trees, hoping it wasn't the last memory she would have of her. Sakura was a strong person to race blindily into danger for the one she loved.

With a new wave of resigned determination, she wrapped her fingers around the splintered piece of wood and pulled before she could stop herself. She screamed in anguish and gritted her teeth but felt glad that part was over. Tomoyo kept her eyes away from her wound and watched for Redan and Yakushi. The building continued to smoke as the fire worked its way around the base and up the walls until it touched the roof and burned with such intensity that Tomoyo had to shield her eyes and look away. The fire moved so quick. Surely, someone would notice and report it. Maybe help would come after all.

Syaoran and Sakura still had not return. No sign of the two vial men either. Tomoyo felt a rising panic in her chest. Restlessly, she searched Eriol's car for anything of use. An old t-shirt of his she tied around her leg as a tourniquet. She was not bleeding much but it seemed like a smart thing to do. Finding nothing more than a crow bar beneath the seat, she set off at a painstakingly slow amble to see for herself what was going on. She wasn't just going to sit in wait while Sakura and Syaoran fought for their lives. The entire night she had done nothing more than pity herself. Action was due its appearance. She clutched the heavy metal instrument in her fingers.

Sakura and Syaoran had come to save her and now she would do the same.  
_

* * *

  
_

**A/N: Hmm … so I posted this without really reading over it. I may go back and fix errors later but I just wanted to get this piece out for you guys. I think it's pretty long too … I just couldn't stop myself. Lol, this also happens in school. I always write way too much. **

**Anyway, sincerely hope you enjoyed this chapter and it lived up to any standards you might have. **

**Review, porfavor! **

**Tell me likes/dislikes/improvements/words-of-wisdom ... but please be nice with negative criticism :)**

**See You Next Chapter,**

**Radiant Sun**


	17. Chapter 16

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics: _Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

Sunlight

* * *

_Chapter 16_

**The Night Avenges**

The morning light greeted a harrowing scene. Blazing fire lit the mountainside, basking it in an orange glow. The pillar of thick, white smoke rose fair into the sky as the woods below teemed with intensity, fear and perspiration.

Tomoyo stumble-limped passed tree after tree, darting eyes catching no sight of friend or foe. Soft ground cradled her raw, bare feet, but a snapping twig halted her slow, steady motion. Half-hopeful, she glanced down at her own feet. Seeing no broken stick there, she gripped tighter to the heavy crowbar and held her breath.

She saw a man emerge from behind a tree a short distance ahead, his back to her as he gazed off in the other direction. She assumed, by the man's frame, that it was Yakushi. If he turned around even the slightest inch, her discovery was imminent, but if she ambushed him before that, she had a chance.

Tomoyo coached herself into a determined frame of mind, lurched forward to attack and hit the ground without warning. The breath was gone from her lungs, and she squeezed her eyes from the pain in her leg as it scraped the dirt and grass. She felt a hand's pressure against her mouth and thought frantically.

"Ow! Damn Tomoyo!" hissed Syaoran bitterly as he nursed his throbbing finger.

Her eyes flew open at his voice, "Syaoran!"

He extended his other, non-bitten hand to help her sit up and Tomoyo shot him an apologetic look. "Sorry … I though you were … you know." Immediately, she craned her neck in search of Yakushi, but he had already disappeared.

"He's gone," whispered Syaoran, "but what the _hell_ were you thinking?!"

"Well … I was …trying to knock him out with …" Syaoran presented the crowbar to her and she glared at him.

"See how easy it was to take it away. You're lucky I stopped you in time," he reasoned.

His statement bristled her temper, "Oh yeah, I'm so lucky my best friend's boyfriend tackled me to the ground and agitated my le – oh my god!"

"Shit," he noticed her wound, "what happened to you?"

She hurriedly shook her head. "Doesn't matter. Sakura's in here – we have to find her before they do!" insisted Tomoyo.

"What?" he rounded sharply. "Why?"

"She was worried about you so –"

"That idiot!" growled Syaoran, practically leaping to his feet. "Okay," his voice suddenly sounded tired, "you go back to the car and –"

"No! I'm coming too!" she protested but Syaoran shook his head absolutely. "You'd just be a burden. Have the car running and I'll be back with Sakura soon as I can."

Sharp but honest, Tomoyo understood her part in the escape and silently agreed. "Fine," she grumbled, "but take the crowbar."

His mouth twitched into an odd smile, "Don't need it." He held up a gun and Tomoyo's eyes grew wide before she recovered. "I see you upgraded your sword …"

He didn't answer. He nodded shortly to her and turned his back. Before he disappeared, Tomoyo implored him earnestly.

"Promise me you'll hurry."

He threw his hand up in acknowledgment and took off at a swift jog. Tomoyo closed her eyes and willed away the weakness inflicted by her wound. She tested her strength and endurance, returning back to the inflamed warehouse and preparing the car.

* * *

The trees had become thick as Sakura crept through the woods, willing Syaoran to appear miraculously so they could escape. So far she hadn't encountered anyone. She felt alone in the solitude and quiet of the forest.

A rustling noise to the side made her freeze and press herself against a tree in hiding. Cautiously, she craned her neck around the trunk – no one. Maybe she had imagined the sound.

She patted her jacket pocket and leaned against the bark. The gun was still concealed there and the pepper spray waited in her jean pocket. She prayed that use of the latter would prevent any use of the former.

Move. She needed to go somewhere, do something. Standing here shaking behind a tree was not helping her find Syaoran.

She ventured forward in search of him, she came to a small, circular clearing. She dared not enter and make a target of herself. Instead, she crept around the edge and kept alert, pepper spray in hand.

Out of nowhere Syaoran became visible on the other side of the clearing. Her knees felt weak with joy as she willed him to look her way. They met gazes of equal relief and started forward for the reunion.

From the corner of her eye Sakura beheld a horrifically gut-wrenching sight: Redan emerging some twenty feet to the left. Syaoran aimed his gun the same time Redan did and they stood stock still in a face off. Neither pulled the trigger in this mind game.

Sakura froze mid step and trembled. Without thinking, her fingers gently wrapped around the gun handle and rapid, crazed thoughts bubbled into her head. _Redan killed Syaoran's parents … he hurt Syaoran worse than anything … he's going to kill Syaoran and Tomoyo and me if – _BANG!

Her finger slid on the trigger, Redan fell hard to the ground and Syaoran, realizing he hadn't fired the shot, stared incredulously at Sakura, who in her part was just as shocked.

The gun dropped from her shaking hands that flew to cover her mouth, suppressing an aghast squeal. She was a murderer! Her feet shuffled toward Syaoran and Redan, but every step closer increased her distress.

"Oh my _god! _Oh my god. ohmygodohmygodohmygod!" hyperventilated Sakura.

Syaoran had bent down to check a pulse. "… he's breathing …shit! Let go!"

Coming to life in an abrupt, frightening fashion, Redan had latched his hand onto Syaoran's forearm, but Syaoran twisted from the grip and pointed his pistol threateningly.

"Don't get up," snarled Syaoran.

Redan dry laughed but it morphed into a serious cough, "I can't, dumbass, I'm fucking bleeding a river."

"Sakura, pick up his gun and watch for Yakushi." He kept his eyes trained on Redan as she edged forward to retrieve the weapon.

"Where's your cell phone?" asked Syaoran.

"Back pocket, but you'll get no service in the woods," sneered Redan in a pained voice while Syaoran fetched it.

"I'm not making a call," he said while flipping it open, "this is going to be your truthful confession to killing my parents."

Redan laughed and coughed again.

"What's so funny? All you have to do is tell the truth and you'll live."

"Gave up on getting justice in death, eh, Syaoran?"

"Killing you quickly when I can let you rot in prison for the rest of your miserable life? I think that's the best justice."

Redan breathed heavily, his sweating face contorted by pain and damaged pride. His eye lids drooped heavier with each passing minute of defiance, but his fear grew just as fast. Slim options gave him little choice if he wanted to live, but dealing with the enemy contradicted everything he believed as a man.

"Fuck you," he wheezed. "I'll do it … but it hurts … I need …talk loud … get closer."

Syaoran warily obliged, holding the speaker close to Redan's mouth while he confessed to poisoning husband and wife so his boss would get the company. Sakura stood by quietly, straining to hear his words rather than approaching footsteps.

"Let's head back to the car," said Syaoran, pocketing the cell phone after Redan admitted guilt.

"Look out!" exclaimed Sakura as she watched Yakushi emerge from behind Syaoran and advance menacingly. Syaoran swiveled in time to evade his advancements.

"Don't move, Yakushi, or I'll – I'll shoot," warned Sakura in a shaky voice. Yakushi paid her no mind. His attention was solely on his bleeding father.

His sorrow morphed quickly to rage. "You bastards!" He lunged with a knife at Syaoran, who prepared to defend himself. The gun shot blared against the quiet scene, the cacophonous sound of a threat.

Yakushi ducked to the ground and a silence filled the clearing. Sakura's entire body racked with tremors but she held steady with her pistol, intent on protecting Syaoran from harm.

"Next time I won't miss," she said without emotion, her eyes dark and serious. "Drop it," she referred to the knife.

As soon as it was released, Syaoran snatched it away from Yakushi, who was staring at Sakura with the smug face of a villain. "You really think I believe this act? You're not a killer, Sakura. You're too soft. Why don't you let Syaoran handle the blood and guts?"

"Shut-up," growled Syaoran.

"Pick your father up, and help him to the truck," continued Sakura, disregarding his attempt to provoke her.

He did as he was told, and after Syaoran took the gun from Sakura, they followed the familial pair out of the woods, forcing them forward with a gun at their backs.

"If Redan isn't alive, he can't be tried in court," explained Sakura to Syaoran's contempt at saving the man.

"Besides, we can take them straight to the police now," reasoned Sakura once she saw Syaoran was close to agreeing with her.

He nodded and continued the rest of the way in silence. Once they reached the car and a relieved Tomoyo, Redan was sat on the ground so Yakushi's limbs could be bound.

While Syaoran handled the rope, Sakura checked on Redan's condition. She bend down to check his pulse because he'd had his eyes closed for a long time. As she did, she felt a prick against her leg. Looking in horror, she saw the remaining liquid of a syringe leave the container and enter her body.

Redan smiled in sick triumph, having exhausted himself from the effort of giving her a shot. "Payback," he wheezed.

"What've you done!? Syaoran, he gave me some shot! I – I don't know what it is!" Sakura panicked as she removed the syringe and tossed it on the ground. Syaoran and Tomoyo rushed over while Yakushi laughed heartily.

"It was meant for you, Syaoran, but looks like Sakura gets to follow your parents to the grave instead," he explained, rejoicing in the turn of events.

Syaoran and Sakura exchanged a frightened look of understanding. "We need to get to the hospital now!" demanded Syaoran.

"What about those two? They'll get away and the trial won't –" began Sakura but he interrupted her immediately.

"Do you think I care about that right now?! God, Sakura, you've just been –! I want you safe most of all!" he returned heatedly.

Tomoyo drove speedily back to town while Syaoran and Sakura sat in the back seat. Very little passed between them.

"How are you feeling now? Any changes?" worried Syaoran.

Sakura slowly shook her head, "I just feel dizzy … and tired."

"Well don't go to sleep. You need to stay awake. Hey, hey, Sakura! Keep your eyes open! Sakura! Tomoyo drive faster, she's starting to loose consciousness." The pain in his voice was almost tangible. He had never experienced true agony until this moment, when the love of his life fell asleep in his arms for possibly the last time.

"Don't worry … I'm just taking … a nap …" sighed Sakura.

"Sakura, stay with me! C'mon!" pleaded Syaoran.

" …ove you … sya…on," she mumbled, closing her eyes as all sound fell deaf to her ears.

* * *

**A/N: I feel as if I may have rushed the scene, but I really wanted to use this long-awaited time of leisure to finish this chapter. This semester has been extremely taxing my sanity. I've been so stressed, but at least writing lets me vent and relax.**

**The final chapter will be next. dun dun dun. The story will come to a close. I feel so proud because I've never finished one of my stories before. This will be a first!! :)**

**Or I could be really, really cruel and just let this be the last chapter. (lol, you're lucky its not in my nature to be mean.)**

**Your criticism and thoughts are welcome. Please review and tell me things! It's very, very, very much appreciated! :)**

**See You Next Chapter,**

**RadiantSun**

**PS - I apologize for the extremely drawn out wait for this installment of Sunlight. I promise I'll update quicker with the final chapter!**


	18. Chapter 17

**Summary:** The sunlight of day is welcomed into the hearts of most people, but in others the humble warmth is shunned. Syaoran Li is engulfed in total darkness when his parents die. He permits no sunlight to pass through the opaque walls he's constructed about himself. Sakura Kinomoto is just the embodiment of the large burning star; cheerful and carefree. Though seemingly polar opposites, their parallel lives intersect in more ways than one. The sun can only penetrate the soul as deep as a person allows.

_Italics: _Thoughts

"Regular": Talking

Regular: Normal Text

Sunlight

* * *

_Chapter 17_

**The Horizon**

Syaoran, lifeless as a statue, stood alone underneath a weeping willow tree located in a graveyard, a solemn ground speckled with ended lives. He stared at the gravestones and read the names of the dearly departed. Kinomoto was a surname to which he owed his own life. It was a debt he could never repay. Without _her, _his life was a game of cat, mouse and revenge that could never satisfy him in the end.

After that night in the woods, Redan's confession to murder and the kidnapping charges of him and his son, Yakushi, landed them both in jail. (Redan for the rest of his life.)

It wasn't a perfect ending – Redan never squealed on his Boss; therefore, Syaoran was not restored as head of his late father's company, but a man as changed as him did not see the world through the same lens. Again, he glanced down at the Kinomoto headstones.

"Hello Syaoran," greeted Tomoyo as she approached with flowers in one arm and Eriol wrapped in the other.

"Hey Tomoyo, Eriol," returned Syaoran, reaching out to shake Eriol's hand. Tomoyo pulled him into a hug when he extended his arm.

"I think I've earned the right to hug you after … everything we've been through," said Tomoyo. Syaoran nodded silently.

"So … how are things? It's been a while since we last saw you." Tomoyo leaned into Eriol, intertwining her hand in his. Syaoran saw this and his own hand itched to hold the petite, delicate fingers of a certain girl.

"Oh, nothing really. How was England?"

"Eriol's parents hate me but that's okay, my mom doesn't like him either," stated Tomoyo wryly, recalling detested memories.

"I told you it was a bad idea, but no, you wanted to meet them. Syaoran, don't you remember me telling her my parents are evil bigots?" Eriol beseeched his friend to verify.

"I do remember something about them being controlling, stuck-up and snobby. Oh, and that they already have some girl picked out for you to marry."

"Exactly, thank you!" said Eriol. "See? Even Syaoran knows."

"I thought my dazzling personality and beauty would change their minds. I mean, who couldn't love me?" protested Tomoyo with a smirk. Syaoran coughed jokingly, and Tomoyo gasped at him, smacking him lightly on the shoulder. She almost dropped her bouquet of flowers and decided to lay them on the grave without further ado.

"It's been a year almost …" commented Syaoran after a moment, his light-hearted demeanor gradually sucked dry by the cemetery atmosphere. Tomoyo and Eriol now wore equally somber expressions.

"You can't keep dwelling on the past," said Tomoyo softly, earnestly imploring Syaoran to reconsider his current train of thought.

"I know … but if I hadn't … if not for me, Sakura would –"

"Since she's not here right now, I guess I'll say it. _Syaoran, it's not your fault._" Tomoyo imitated Sakura with a patented finger wag, causing Syaoran to grin despite his frustration.

"Syaoran, you are such an idiot."

He turned and there she stood, radiant like the sun. She warmed him body and soul.

"I'm gone for a few days and this is what happens. Tomoyo, what am I going to do with him?"

"Sakura! How was the trip? Did Meiling give you any trouble?"

"No, Meiling was … Meiling," laughed Sakura. "And you? Both of you, what happened to the month in England? Aren't you back early?" Her head quirked to the side while Tomoyo fidgeted and Eriol smiled benevolently.

"Oookay then, act weird and don't tell me," replied Sakura with an eyebrow raised. Tomoyo caved.

"I couldn't take it anymore! His parents are horrible! Sorry Eriol, no offense," explained Tomoyo.

"None taken. I actually agree," he shrugged. Sakura looked back and forth between them.

"I guess you didn't tell them about the engagement," hypothesized Sakura.

They shook their heads and Eriol said, "We decided to wait for the right time."

"You're both chickens," chuckled Syaoran.

"Oh? And what about you?" Sakura rounded on him. "You won't let me tell Meiling that we're living together."

"That – that's completely different. If she knew we were living together, she'd never let me hear the end of it. Not to mention she'd come visit more often. I love my cousin, but … no, not going to happen." Syaoran crossed his arms in defense.

Sakura's eyes twinkled as she looked at him, her face crinkling in a smile he found irresistible. Five days without her was more than enough. He slipped his hand over hers and held tightly. It was natural for them to be together. It was fate. It was love.

Eriol and Tomoyo said their goodbyes, making plans for all of them to meet for dinner tonight. Sakura said hello to her loved ones and before long, the two of them were walking home as well.

"I thought you wouldn't be here until later," admitted Syaoran. "I was going to meet you at the airport."

"I caught an earlier flight – I wanted to surprise you," her lips pouted, "but when I got home, you weren't even there."

"Sorry, will you forgive me?" he asked playfully.

"I don't know …" she trailed off, looking away and teasing him.

Without warning, he scooped her up in his arms and held her there. Sakura protested through laughter that he put her down as they were on a crowded street and everyone was pointing and gawking.

"Not until you forgive me," he demanded. "I don't care who's watching."

"I forgive you, I forgive you!" She squealed mirthfully, her feet retouching the ground. Her face was red with embarrassment.

After a couple minutes, Sakura brought up the taboo topic. "Hey, are you still … upset about … what happened that night?"

Syaoran's grip changed around her hand and she knew he blamed himself still.

"Listen, Syaoran, I didn't die. I'm fine."

Because Redan used the same poison on Syaoran's parents, it gave the hospital an advantage. A tentative antidote, concocted after many trial errors by the medical community, was administered. Even with the treatment, Sakura didn't recover for some time.

"You were in a coma for two months, Sakura, I hardly call that fine."

Sakura swallowed at the harsh word: coma. She talked around the word as much as possible, but Syaoran was a direct person by nature.

"You're right. I lost two months of my life because of Redan's poison, but I didn't _lose_ my life. That's a big difference. And you had nothing to do with it. I was the one who let my guard down."

"But if you hadn't come with me that night. If you hadn't gotten caught up in my wrong decisions. If you hadn't _met _me, none of this would have happened."

"None of this would have happened, huh? Well then I regret nothing. True, never meeting you would have spared me a stay in the hospital, but I'll never change a thing. Even if I had a time machine, I wouldn't dream of it. The past brought us together."

Syaoran stopped her in the middle of the street, people passing by on either side to dodge the obstruction in their path.

"How is it that you can say all the right things at just the right time?" With that, he leaned in to kiss the girl who spared his past, saved his present and was his future.

* * *

Rika's wedding occurred the following month. Sakura was a bridesmaid, and Syaoran made funny faces from the crowd to make her laugh. She didn't look at him the rest of the ceremony.

At the reception, Sakura admonished his childish behavior, forcing him to dance as punishment.

Surprisingly, Syaoran was an impeccable dancer. Sakura's fumbling steps were covered by his lead.

"Are there any more hidden talents I should know about?" she teased.

"Just one." His serious face threw off her rhythm, and she stumbled on her dress.

"I'm an amazing singer."

She eyed him skeptically. "I thought it was going to be something more … dramatic."

Syaoran shook his head and preached in a serious manner, "Do you know what happens when you assume? You make an ass out of you and me."

"Is that so?" There was a mischievous glint in her eye. She cast a defiant look at Syaoran as she walked away. Not until she was talking to the DJ did he realize what she was planning. He scowled in her direction. She wagged her fingers cheerfully.

"And now we have a special request by Sakura. Syaoran, come up here and sing us a little song."

Tomoyo and Eriol found him fleeing the crowd, and Tomoyo towed him into the spotlight. Sakura winked at him when the microphone found his palm.

Syaoran purposefully chose a duet and Sakura was forced on stage as well. She laughed at his weak, not-amazing voice and awed the crowd with her beautiful one.

When finished, the couple took a bow – excited by their bright life ahead and anxious to spend the rest of their lives together.

The radiant sun gives true light which, even in the darkness of night, refracts upon the luminous moon. There will always be a light in the darkness, ready and waiting to save a wayward soul in want of guidance.

Syaoran realized that Sakura was the warmth he would protect at all costs from the frigid darkness.

* * *

**A/N: El FIN! Te gusta? Lo siento, I'm taking spanish right now. I know I said I would update quickly but I've come to realize that things never happen how you plan. They just happen. Anyway, I hope this finale was satisfactory and that my whole story wasn't a chore to read. Part of the reason it took me so long to update was that I wanted to write the perfect ending. After much thought, no endings that weren't corny/bad struck me. It really is true that you are your worst critic, so remember not to be so hard on yourself! Haha, I sound like a fortune cookie.**

***tear*tear* This is the end people. I'm so happy that I finally finished. I feel so accomplished.**

**I just have one question: When you started reading, did you think that Sakura had passed away? I wanted so hard to give the end a twist and shock the reader. I don't know. Maybe it just confused you. I find that my thoughts don't always translate well. lol**

**~ Radiant Sun ~****  
**

**PS - Look out for more stories.**

**PPS - Did you catch why I named this chapter The Horizon? (because that's where the light and dark meet when the sun sets and we look to the horizon as a sign of continuation - like how Sakura and Syaoran are going to continue their lives together) I just wanted to share that with you b/c I was amazed by my own poetic-ness**


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